Will a new solar plant increase energy demand in the Gambia?

Energy demand in The Gambia has increased by 5.5% per year in recent years and today’s connection of the new 23 MWp solar plant to the national energy grid will significantly increase Gambia’s current generation capacity of 98 MW and enable electrification of rural areas. A strong commitment

Why should the Gambia invest in solar energy?

To match the rising demand and to provide sustainable and accessible energy to all Gambians, the potential for solar energy investment is immense in The Gambia. The government of The Gambia seeks to increase RE’s contribution to 40% from 2% presently in the coming years.

Will the Gambia build a solar farm in Soma?

The Gambia will build a 150 MW solar farm near the planned 250kV/30kV substation in Soma, to either upload power to stabilize the Gambian grid or for injection into the West African Power Pool or both, depending on conditions.

Will ECOWAS build a solar power station in Gambia?

In October 2022, a meeting was convened in Banjul, Gambia's capital city, in which representatives of the member countries of ECOWAS validated the feasibility study for the construction of the 150 MW Soma Solar Power Station, in Soma, Gambia.

Why is NAWEC launching a solar plant in the Gambia?

This marks the first time in the Gambia’s history where a utility scale solar plant of 23 Megawatts Solar PV capacity and 8-Megawatt hours battery storage is being commissioned. This solar plant allows NAWEC to finally shift away from expensive heavy fuel oil-based generation which is costly and harmful to the environment.

How does a large scale solar PV project benefit the Gambia?

The project contributes to gainful employment creation in The Gambia with 1,250 direct jobs created from the construction phase to operation and maintenance. To ensure sustainability, a three-year operations and maintenance contract (O&M) has been signed as large scale solar PV is entirely new to the sector.