African Development Bank announced plans for 10 GW of solar power systems across the Sahel

The African Development Bank (AfDB) targets to reach 29.3 million Africans with electricity by 2020, in line with its High 5 development priorities and, in particular, its agenda to Light up and power Africa. The Bank has also committed to triple its climate financing to 40 percent of new approvals by 2020. The Desert to Power initiative spearheaded by the Bank aims to turn Africa’s deserts into new sources of energy, by working with partners to develop 10,000 MW of solar power systems across the Sahel. The initiative is expected to provide electricity to 250 million people, with 90 million of these provided through off-grid systems.
»We have already started with development of a 50 MW solar power system in Burkina Faso,« said the President of the Bank, Akinwumi Adesina. The initiative will protect the Great Green Wall of trees established to protect against desertification in the Sahelian zone, from being cut down by energy-poor households for use as fuel wood. »When completed, we expect this to be the largest solar power system zone in the world,« says Adesina.
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