SOUTH SUDAN – A consortium of Asunim Solar and I-kWh has joined a solar project under development near Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

The two companies will work alongside Elsewedy Electric.

In December 2019, the Egyptian company won the contract to build this 20 MWp photovoltaic solar power plant.

The 20 MWp solar project under development has two new players, the photovoltaic system supplier Asunim Solar, based in the United Arab Emirates, and the renewable energy solutions consultancy company I-kWh.

The Egyptian company was awarded the contract following a call for tenders launched by the South Sudanese Ministry of Electricity, Dams, Irrigation and Water Resources.

The future photovoltaic solar power plant will be built on a 25-hectare site.

Asunim Solar will provide engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services while the London-based subsidiary of the Asunim Group will also be responsible for product sizing and verification, as well as supervision of the project execution site.

“The approximately 29 million kWh of clean energy produced by the future solar power plant will meet the electricity needs of more than 59,000 households in Southern Sudan”

Mohamed Siha – Technical Director, Elsewedy Electric T&D

The solar photovoltaic power plant will also be equipped with a battery storage system with a capacity of 35 MWh which will make it possible to boost the areas affected by the solar project 24/7 and stabilise the national electricity grid, says Andreas Schuenhoff, director of the Asunim Group.

Currently, the East African country is 100% dependent on oil imports, which produces greenhouse gases and other atmospheric pollutants which are harmful to the environment and the health of the population.

The I-kWh company, based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, will contribute its expertise in electricity storage and management systems to the solar project.

The approximately 29 million kWh of clean energy produced by the future solar power plant will meet the electricity needs of more than 59,000 households in Southern Sudan,” says Mohamed Shiha, technical director of the Egyptian energy services company Elsewedy Electric T&D (EETD).

The installation would also avoid the emission of 10,886.2 tonnes of CO2 per year.

The Juba solar project will last 12 months, and its implementation will require an investment of US$45 million from the South Sudanese Ministry of Electricity, Dams, Irrigation and Water Resources.

It will be supported by a loan from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), a pan-African financial institution established under the auspices of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Liked this article? Subscribe to DealStreet Africa News, our regular email newsletter with the latest news, deals and insights from Africa’s businesseconomy and more. SUBSCRIBE HERE