Construction works at the Ndjolé hybrid power plant in Gabon has begun. Edgard Moukoumbi, Director of energy at Deposit and Consignment Fund (CDC) revealed the report and said the project is part of a fuel save technology strategy in Gabon. The solar-diesel hybrid power project involves construction of 1,400 panels which will be connected to three 100kW inverters installed with millimetre precision on the basis of a GPS map on galvanised steel piles.
The solar power generated is sent to the transformer station over a medium-voltage line, and then a further 500m to the national grid, using 7 poles. The entire system will produce 400kWp of electricity. The solar photovoltaic plant will be supported by a diesel-powered generator. The electricity will be supplied to the transformer station via a 500-metre-long medium-voltage line. The construction site for the new facility will be delivered by March 2020.
Also Read: Construction of Africa’s first hybrid renewable power plant commence
Lease-purchase contract
The project is being built by Ausar Energy, a subsidiary of the French group Engie and financed by the CDC. According to Mr. Edgard, a signed agreement includes a lease-purchase contract for the solar power plant with SEEG (the energy and water company of Gabon), which will run and maintain it for a period of 15 years. The Ndjolé power station is one of a series of hybrid projects that is being carried out in the country.
The largest will have a capacity of 850kW and be built in the city of Bitam. The others will be installed in Makokou, Ovan, Mékambo, Booué in the Ogooué Ivindo province, while the other two will be built in Minvoul and Medouneu in the Woleu Ntem province. All of these hybrid systems will have a combined capacity of 2.2 MW.
