Over 25 MW of PV and PV-hybrid projects in Sierra Leone get USTDA funds

The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) yesterday said will support two solar projects of Solar Era Holdings (SL) Ltd in Sierra Leone that will improve energy access in the African country.

The local power company plans to build a 5-MW solar photovoltaic (PV) park and a 20-MW-plus PV-diesel hybrid power plant near Bo, the second largest city in Sierra Leone. The USTDA grant, signed in Freetown, will support the development of the two-phase project, with Idaho-based firm Power Engineers Inc selected to conduct the feasibility study.

Currently, only 13% of the population in Sierra Leone has access to electricity. The USTDA support is in line with the US government's Power Africa initiative to increase electricity access across sub-Saharan Africa.

Also on Wednesday, at the US-African Business Forum in New York City, the USTDA announced it will work with South Africa’s largest development finance institution -- the Industrial Development Corp (IDC) -- to speed up green energy development and financing across sub-Saharan Africa. USTDA-funded advisory services will help IDC identify projects for financing.

The US government agency and IDC are already partnering on a project to evaluate energy storage solutions to stabilise and grow South Africa’s large renewable energy market.

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