Jirama (Jiro Sy Rano Malagasy), the state-owned electric utility and water services company in Madagascar, is set to develop three solar power plants with a combined capacity of 11 MW in Antananarivo which is also known by its colonial shorthand form Tana and which is the capital city of the East African island country situated in the Indian ocean.
The construction of the aforementioned plants will be undertaken by Oursun Green Power Company Limited which is a German-based enterprise focused on the development of energy resources. According to Jirama, these plants will have the particularity of being installed on rooftops, with rooftop technology in order to optimize the available surfaces in the capital.
Also Read: Madagascar: Andranotakatra hybrid solar power plant begins construction
The project is set to be completed within a span of 12 months from the date of the construction works commencement.
The aim of the solar projects
Vonjy Andrianmanga, the general manager of Jirama said that with this project the company aims to improve the quality of the electricity supplied to its customers and above all to reduce electricity production-related costs. “The installation of these power plants will play a key role in the improvement of the supply of the interconnected network of the capital city of Madagascar,” he affirmed.
The use of renewable energies is a major component in the recovery strategy of Jirama, whose financial resources are heavily strained by the purchase of fuel for its thermal power plants.
Madagascar Solar Potential
Madagascar has large solar energy potential. Almost all the regions of the East African country receive over 2,800 hours of sunshine per year, with the daily solar radiation ranging from 1,500 to 2,100 kWh/m2. PV systems are currently utilized for powering public buildings such as health clinics, as well as off-grid community electrification solutions.
