6th International Solar Alliance Meeting: Over 100 Villages to Be Electrified by Solar Photovoltaic Mini-Grids by 2030

At the opening of the 6th Regional Committee meeting for Africa of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in Abidjan on August 28, 2024, Sansan Kambilé, Minister of Justice and Human Rights, representing the Minister of Mines, Petroleum, and Energy Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, announced that over 100 villages with more than 500 inhabitants each will be electrified by solar photovoltaic mini-grids by 2030.

The Minister revealed that the total capacity of the solar projects to be completed by 2030 is estimated to be around 700 Megawatts (MW). He also highlighted the commissioning of the first 30 MW solar photovoltaic plant connected to the national grid in April 2024.

Kambilé further noted that the country committed at COP 21 in Paris in 2015 to achieve 42% renewable energy in its energy mix by 2030. This commitment was increased at COP 26 in Glasgow, with a new target of 45%, including 12% solar energy.

According to the Minister, the ISA could help identify barriers to solar energy deployment in Africa and propose practical solutions to address the continent's electricity access challenges. Africa holds about 40% of the world's solar potential.