Ivory Coast signs deal for 50-70 MW solar plant with UAE’s Masdar

Ivory Coast has signed an agreement with UAE renewable energy company Masdar to explore the development of a 50-70 megawatt (MW) solar power plant, Masdar said on Friday, the latest in a series of agreements in Africa.

The West African cocoa-producing nation has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 32 percent and increase the share of renewable energy in its energy mix to over 40 percent by 2030.

The agreement is part of a master plan to develop production facilities that integrate solar power, hydroelectricity and biomass.

“Masdar and the Ivorian Ministry of Mining, Petroleum and Energy will explore the joint development of solar photovoltaic plants in Côte d’Ivoire, starting with a first 50-70-megawatt (MW) plant,” the company said in a statement.

Masdar aims to deliver 100 gigawatts of green energy around the world by 2030 and sees “enormous potential” for this sector in Africa, it added.

In January, it signed an agreement with Ethiopia for the joint development of a 500-MW solar project. It also signed agreements with Angola, Uganda, and Zambia to develop renewable energy projects.