The Energy Republic February - March Edition 2023

AFRICAN ENERGY
Burkina Faso
Launches
Africa UN-Led
Minigrids
Program
For Rural
Electrication
The Africa Minigrids Program (AMP)
recently launched in Burkina Faso as
the country aims to increase rural
electrifica on through access to solar
energy.
Reports say just about 10% of the
popula on in the country’s rural areas has
access to electricity, out of a total
popula on of over 22 million.
The collaborators on the project include,
United Na ons Development Programme
(UNDP), the ministry of energy, mines and
quarries (MEMC) of Burkina Faso, and the
Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The UNDP-led program will run in the
country ll January 2027 for a total cost of
1,086,476,580 CFA francs (USD1.75
million).
The AMP na onal project in Burkina Faso
aims to increase access to clean energy by
promo ng large-scale commercial investment
in solar photovoltaic mini-grids in the West
African na on.
The AMP project will primarily focus on
enabling innova on and technology transfers
in decentralized solar energy distribu on as
well as ba ery storage solu ons.
The country’s rural electrifica on agency said
the AMP project is being implemented by the
Agence Burkinabè de l’Electrifica on Rurale
(ABER).
The program supports Burkina Faso’s COVID-
19 recovery efforts and strengthens the
resilience of underserved communi es. ABER
will implement the mini-grids program
through several components. This includes
policy and regula on, innova on and private
sector business models, large-scale financing,
use of digital tools & solu ons, knowledge
management, and evalua on of the projects.
The model of the program is developed such
that it will enable removing the poli cal and
ins tu onal obstacles that may hinder
investments in renewable energy mini-grids.
mercial viability of the mini-grid market.
The mechanism facilitates access to low-cost
commercial capital including equity and debt
in local currency. This will reduce mini-grid
costs and ensure the long-term com
Although the overall electrifica on rate has
already increased in Burkina Faso over recent
years, the rate has remained low due to the
costly electrifica on method. The rise of digital
technologies and the adop on of the privatesector
business model have made solarba
ery mini-grids to become a compe ve
op on to provide electricity to off-grid areas in
the country.
T h e p ro j e c t w i l l b e a c v e i n s e v e n
municipali es across several regions including
the Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, Center,
Center-Nord, Center-Est, Nord, and Plateau-
Central. The mini-grid program is expected to
significantly contribute to the country’s rural
electrifica on efforts.
The UNDP-led program will run in the country
ll January 2027 for a total cost of
1,086,476,580 CFA francs (USD1.75 million).
UNDP es mates that mini-grids are the leastcost
op on to provide electricity to nearly 265
million people in 21 countries where the AMP
project is implemented, for a total investment
opportunity of $USD 65 billion.
The program was launched in Somalia earlier
this month, with addi onal na onal projects
to start implementa on in Africa throughout
the year.
World Bank Advances $64m For Solar Energy And Electricity
Storage In Togo
public ligh ng.
The World Bank has announced the
advancement of $64.2 million
financing for the electrifica on of
at least 60 locali es as part of projects
ini ated the World Bank.
The $64 million financing agreement was
signed between Sani Yaya, Togo’s minister
of economy and finance, and Coralie
Gevers, the World Bank’s director of
opera ons for Togo.
The funding will enable the installa on of
1,858 street lamps for public ligh ng and
the electricity of 12,100 homes in rural
areas.
It was explained that the funding is part of
a $311 million package commi ed
by the World Bank under the Regional Solar
Emergency Response Project (RESPIT).
The ini a ve aims to “rapidly” increase gridconnected
renewable energy capacity and
strengthen regional integra on in a number of
countries, including, Togo, Chad, Liberia and
Sierra Leone.
According to the plan, Respit will build a 25
MWp solar photovoltaic power plant in
Dalwak, near the northern town of Dapaong
on the border with Burkina Faso.
The plant will be equipped with a 40 MWh
ba ery storage system, which will allow the
electrifica on of 60 locali es in northern Togo.
In rural areas, the World Bank financing will
allow the electrifica on of 12,100 households
and the installa on of 1,858 street lamps for
According to the Togolese government, Respit
will “accelerate the achievement of the
electrifica on strategy objec ves set out in the
Roadmap 2025, notably universal access to
electricity by 2030”.
Lomé alone is aiming for a 75% electrifica on
rate by 2025. In Liberia, where Respit was
recently launched with $96 million in World
Bank funding, a 60 MWp solar photovoltaic
plant will be built near the Mount Coffee
hydroelectric dam in Montserrado County.
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