BYD Supplying PV Modules For First Large-Scale PV Power Plant In Rwanda

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!

Manufacturing giant BYD recently announced that it has come to an agreement with the Norwegian company Scatec Solar to provide the modules for a large-scale solar PV power plant being developed in Rwanda. The project will be the first large-scale solar PV project in the African nation.

The 8.5 MW project being built by Scatec Solar will be grid-connected — the company has already secured a 25-year power purchase agreement with the Rwanda Energy, Water and Sanitation Authority.

BYD modules

The announcement isn’t much of a surprise, as Scatec Solar and BYD have a history of collaboration — having previously worked together on the development of the 75 MW Kalkbult project in South Africa.

The new project is going to be built at the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village — about 60km from the Rwandan capital of Kigale.

The press release from BYD provides more:

Located about 60 kilometers from the Rwandan capital of Kigale, the plant will be built on land belonging to the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV). The plant is to be constructed by Norway’s Scatec Solar, with an expected completion mid-summer 2014. It is estimated that once complete, the plant will generate 16 million kilowatt-hours of clean solar energy each year. The Rwanda Energy, Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA) has signed a 25-year purchase agreement for energy from the plant. BYD is actively participating in the rapid development of the global PV market and has supplied Scatec Solar with modules since 2012 including a 75 megawatt project in Kalkbult, South Africa.

Being one of Africa’s strongest emerging markets, Rwanda is aiming to increase the country’s generation capacity so that more than 50% of the population will have access to electricity by 2017. This means increasing current capacity from 110 MW to 560 MW.

Speaking on the deal, Tom Zhao, the General Manager of BYD’s Solar Energy division, stated: “BYD is seeking to expand business throughout Africa which has the world’s best solar resources.”

Keep up to date with all of the latest news on solar energy here on CleanTechnica. Subscribe to our free solar energy newsletter or overall cleantech newsletter to never miss a story.

Image Credit: BYD


Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.

Latest CleanTechnica TV Video


Advertisement
 
CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here.

James Ayre

James Ayre's background is predominantly in geopolitics and history, but he has an obsessive interest in pretty much everything. After an early life spent in the Imperial Free City of Dortmund, James followed the river Ruhr to Cofbuokheim, where he attended the University of Astnide. And where he also briefly considered entering the coal mining business. He currently writes for a living, on a broad variety of subjects, ranging from science, to politics, to military history, to renewable energy.

James Ayre has 4830 posts and counting. See all posts by James Ayre