Toyota Tsusho Corporation has signed an agreement with the Beninese Electricity Production Company to build a 25MW solar power plant in Benin. This project is the first major renewable energy power plant development effort by a Japanese corporation in West Africa.
Toyota Tsusho has contributed to increasing the production of renewable energy in Africa, including the completion in 2015 of a wind power project in Egypt with a capacity of 262 MW and the start of commercial operation of a geothermal power plant in Kenya with a capacity of 280 MW.
Benin wants to improve and expand its access to energy. By becoming more self-sufficient and importing less power from its neighbors. Additionally, thermal power plants make up the majority of the nation’s power producing facilities. In order to meet these issues, Benin created a national plan to develop renewable energy sources, primarily solar photovoltaic electricity. By 2026, it hopes to have installed 150 MW worth of solar power producing capacity.
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Completion date for the 25MW solar Power Plant in Benin
Construction work is scheduled to be completed in 2024. Toyota Tsusho conducted a project development study with support by the Benin government such as the Beninese Electricity Production Company, under the programmeof the “Feasibility Study Project of Overseas Development for High-Quality Energy Infrastructure” by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in FY2021.
The project was accepted by the Beninese government after providing ideas that were optimal for the available local electricity. Together with RMT, a German EPC (Engineering Procurement and Construction) business and a part of the EIFFAGE Group, the 25 MW solar power plant, one of the biggest in Benin, will be built in the Pobé region.
The construction of the 25MW solar power plant in Benin will be marketed as a Japanese public-private cooperation project. That will provide reliable electricity at a lower cost. Through the development and application of new renewable energy sources, Toyota Tsusho will support the realization of a decarbonized society. As well as green economic growth in Africa in order to leave a better global environment to the next generation.
