Who financed a solar power plant in Niger?

The European Union, the French Development Bank and the government of Niger co-financed the installation. A French consortium made up of Akuo and Sagecom has finished building a 30 MW solar power plant in Gorou Banda, Niger. The Niger government had initially planned the project to have a capacity of 50 MW.

Where is solar energy used in Niger?

Niamey and Zinder, located at lower latitudes, show less variability across the year, hence making them excellent locations for harnessing solar energy. There is a long history of solar energy use in Niger. This began in the mid-1960s when the Centre National d'Énergie Solaire (National Solar Energy Centre; CNES) was established.

How much solar radiation does Niger have?

Niger enjoys high solar radiation conditions in all eight of its regions. Average solar radi-ation is 5-7 kWh/m2 per day (figure 9), and there are seven to ten hours of sunshine per day on average. April to August is the period of high insolation, when the diurnal variation between minimum and maximum radiation values is small.

How can Niger balance its energy mix?

This transformative project, funded by the World Bank through the International Development Association (IDA), will enable Niger to better balance its energy mix, which is currently largely dominated by thermal energy. This initiative is particularly crucial for a country that frequently faces climatic shocks.