The Baía Farta Solar Power Station is an operational 96.7 MW (129,700 hp) solar power plant in Angola. The power station, which was commercially commissioned on 20 July 2022, was developed by a consortium comprising (a) M. Couto Alves Vias SA, an energy consulting company based in Angola (b) M.Couto Alves SA, a construction company based in Portugal and (c) Sun Africa LLC, a renewable energy solutions company based in the United States. The power off-taker is Empresa Rede Nacional de Transporte de Electricidade (RNT-EP) (English: National Electricity Transmission Network). The power station is owned by the Angolan Ministry of Energy and Water. [1][2][3]
| Baía Farta Solar Power Station | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | Angola |
| Location | Baía Farta, Benguela Province |
| Coordinates | 12°37′18″S 13°10′51″E / 12.62167°S 13.18083°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | March 2021 |
| Commission date | 20 July 2022 |
| Construction cost | US$152 million |
| Owners | Ministry of Energy and Water, Angola |
| Operator | Empresa Pública de Produção de Electricidade (PRODEL-EP) |
| Solar farm | |
| Type | Flat-panel PV |
| Power generation | |
| Nameplate capacity | 96.7 MW (129,700 hp) |
Location
editThe power station is located at Baía Farta, a municipality in Benguela Province. Baía Farta sits on the coast of Atlantic Ocean, approximately 29 kilometres (18 mi), southwest of city of Benguela, the provincial capital.[4] The geographical coordinates of the power station are: 12°37'18.0"S, 13°10'51.0"E (Latitude:-12.621667; Longitude:13.180833).[5]
Overview
editThe power station comprises 261,360 ground-mounted solar photovoltaic panels. The solar complex sits on a piece of real estate measuring 186 hectares (460 acres).[6] The design calls for a generation capacity of 96.7 megawatts. Its output is sold directly to the Empresa Rede Nacional de Transporte de Electricidade (RNT), the national electricity transportation utility company, for integration into the national grid.[2][7]
The Angolan government is in the process of expanding national electricity generation from 5.01 GW in 2021 to 9.9 GW by 2025, of which 800 MW is sourced from renewable sources.[8][9]
Developers and ownership
editThe table below illustrates the corporate entities who developed the solar farm and their countries of domicile.[10]
| Rank | Name of Developer | Domicile | Specialty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M. Couto Alves SA (MCA SA) | Portugal | Construction | [10] |
| 2 | M. Couto Alves Vias SA (MCA Vias SA) | Angola | Consultant | [10] |
| 2 | Sun Africa | United States | Consultant, Finance & Management | [11] |
The power station is reported to belong to the Angolan Ministry of Energy and Water and is operated by Empresa Pública de Produção de Electricidade (PRODEL-EP), the national electricity generation utility company.[2]
Construction costs
editThe construction costs of this renewable energy infrastructure is reported as US$152 million.[12]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ Ogrepublic (2 August 2022). "MCA Builds First Solar Power Plant In Angola". The Energy Republic. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ a b c Africa Press (20 July 2022). "President of the Republic inaugurates power stations in Baía Farta and Biopio". Africa-press.net. Dakar, Senegal. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ Devex (10 June 2023). "Rede Nacional de Transporte de Electricidade". Devex.com. Washington, DC, United States. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ "Road Distance Between Baia Farta, Benguela Province, Angola and Benguela, Angola" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ "Location of Baía Farta Solar Power Station, Benguela Province, Angola" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ Keletso Moilwe (21 May 2022). "Five Solar Projects to Watch in Angola: Bay Full (Bia Farta): 96.7 MW". Energy Capital & Power. Cape Town, South Africa. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ Energy Capital & Power (2 September 2022). "2 solar power plants start operating in Angola". Further Africa. London, United Kingdom. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ "Angola Country Commercial Guide: Energy". Privacyshield.gov. Washington, DC. April 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ Economist Intelligence Unit (2 September 2014). "Angola Energy: Analysis & Forecasts by the EIU – The Economist". The Economist. London, United Kingdom. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ a b c Yvonne Tagoe (20 August 2022). "MCA Builds First Solar Power Plant in Angola". Construct Africa. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ "New Solar Power Plants launched in Angola" (Adapted from Jornal 24 Horas and Jornal de Angola). Lusophone Renewable Energy Association (ALER). Lisbon, Portugal. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ Benoit-Ivan Wansi (17 August 2022). "Angola: In Benguela, two solar power plants (284 MWp) come into operation". Arik21.africa. Paris, France. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
External links
edit- Angola Country Commercial Guide: Energy As of June 2023.