Cote d’Ivoire has launched a mega project to build the largest biomass power plant in West Africa and achieve an energy mix rate of 42 percent by 2030.
During the signing of the agreement with Biovea Energie in early December, the Ivorian Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Renewable Energy, Abdurrahman Cisse hailed this “very important project” the cost of which is approximately 129 billion CFA Francs (about 197 million euros).
“It is the largest biomass plant in West Africa. So Cote d’Ivoire, through this project imprints its mark and positioning as a major player in energy production in Africa,” the Minister said after the signing of the agreement.
Located in Sud Comoe (south of Abidjan), the 46-megawatt project based on palm oil residue will create at least 500 direct jobs during the construction phase and around 1,000 direct and indirect jobs during the exploitation phase.
“This is a very important project with an investment of about129 billion CFA francs. The price of the energy that will be produced is set at 61,99 CFA francs per KWh. It will allow the country to achieve its objectives in terms of renewable energy development,” Mr. Cisse went on.
For his part, Raphael Ruat, the managing director of Biovea Energie, said that this is a circular energy project with significant environmental and social impacts.
“The construction of this biomass power station will supply the equivalent of 315,000 homes, representing over 1,700,000 people,” Mr. Ruat said, adding that it is 4.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide that have been avoided in 25 years of operation.
He went on to assure that the signing of this convention marks the beginning of a “long cooperation” with Cote d’Ivoire.
The foundation stone of this project, which will have a positive impact on nearly 12,000 planters, will be laid in the third quarter of 2020 and the work will take three years.
“We will together lay the foundation stone and we hope that the deadlines will be met so that we can put this plant into service in 2023,” the Ivorian minister said.
LB/ls/Dng/fss/abj/APA