Ethiopia: Enel Green Power wins tender to build first solar park
The Enel Green Power-led consortium was selected as the preferred bidder in the tender to build the first photovoltaic solar park in Ethiopia. Launched by the Ethiopian Electric Power public company, the tender was one of the measures called for under the Growth and Transformation Plan. The plan is designed to increase the use of renewable energy sources in the country.
The consortium will obtain the right to develop, build and operate a photovoltaic plant with 100 MW capacity in Metehara in the Oromia Region, about 200 km from Addis Ababa. Partnering with the Enel group subsidiary, which operates in the renewable energy sector, will be the Orchid Business Groups, an Ethiopian company that has operated in infrastructure and logistics since 2001. It already took part in building the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
The consortium will invest a total of 120 million U.S. dollars (80% funded by the Italian group) to build the plant, which is scheduled to enter into operation in 2019. Energy produced by the facility will save about 296,0000 tonnes of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere. Sales will be governed by a twenty-year power purchase agreement with Ethiopian Electric Power.
By 2020, Ethiopia plans on having 12 GW of electricity supplied by renewable sources in compliance with the Growth and Transformation Plan. There will also be involvement from the private sector with the aim of diversifying energy supplies.