By Ismaila Sonko
The Gambia Renewable Energy Programme that will generate 20MW of Solar Energy to provide 430km of new transmission lines and electrification of 1,100 schools and health centers across the country has been officially launched yesterday at Ebujan Theatre in Kanifing.
This initiative is expected to generate 20 Mega Wax (MW) of Solar Energy and to distribute across 430 Km which will benefit 1,100 Rural schools and Health centers across the country.
The support is being extended to Gambia by partners such as the European Investment Bank, World Bank and European Union.
Maria Shaw-Barragan, the European Investment Bank Director for lending operations outside Europe, said that the launching demonstrate the EU Bank’s return to the Gambia and to confirm the European Investment Bank’s support for harnessing Solar Power to transform access to clean and reliable energy across the country.
She also said the EIB is the world’s largest international public bank, with unique role, supporting and accelerating long-term energy investment around the world.
After 28 years absence of EIB financing in the Gambia, European Investment Bank, EIB, EU and World Bank are supporting investment that will significantly increase access to clean energy in the Gambia.
The new engagement represents the first European Investment Bank engagement in Gambia since 1991.
According to her, the project will enable 430km new power distribution infrastructure to increase access to energy in both Urban and Rural Areas and ensure that Electrification helps to address power shortages that hinder social activity and economic growth.
She further said that in all the European Union countries, the EIB’ shareholders signed the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 and are committed to keeping the rise in global temperature well below 2 degrees.
“The Gambia is the first country in the world to combine Solar power with battery storage at all 1,100 school and Health centers in the country that allow Electricity to be used when the sun stop shining,” she pointed out.
According to her, scaling up wind and solar in the years ahead will have profound consequences on new investment across the entire energy sector including transmission, distribution and enabling a broader energy mix.
She revealed that 28 European Union members’ state shareholders, the European Investment Bank will provide € 65 million to support the €142 million total investments in the new Gambia Renewable Energy Programme.
She noted that the social economic impact and international importance of this visionary project is also reflected in the support demonstrated by the European Union and World Bank.
Maria Shaw-Barragan noted that supporting EU Energy policy and Energy investment is a core focus of EIB lending activity with Energy financing representing around one fifth of overall EIB activity, with a stronger focus on Energy and Climate action in Africa.
“We are currently supporting construction of new world class renewable energy project to scale up solar power generation in Morocco and Zambia to harness some of the most reliable wind in the world through Africa’s largest ever private section investment on the shores of Lake Turkana in Kenya,” she revealed.
Mamburay Njie, Gambia’s Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs noted that the main objective of the project is to improve access to clean energy, sustainable increase on the current energy supply to 20% in the country and ensure that rural schools and health centers get reliable power supply.
He said that the project will support The Gambia in reaching its goal of increasing access to reliable and competitively price in electricity which is essential for business development, job creation, income generation, social inclusion and international competitiveness.
Fafa Sanyang, Minister of Energy and Petroleum said the government through his ministry is committed to prompting the deployment of both on-grid and off-grid renewable by creating the necessary enabling environment.
He added that the Gambia sustainable energy project is a clear manifestation of the ongoing concerted effort that will contribute to achieving the targets set in the country’s sustainable energy action plan and electricity sector roadmap.
