Ouagadougou: At the fifth ministerial meeting of the Desert to Power project, spearheaded by the African Development Bank, key strategic documents were approved to boost independent power production in the Sahel. This crucial meeting offered an opportunity to review the progress made in implementing the Desert to Power Initiative and approve two vital strategic documents: the Joint Protocol for Independent Power Producers (IPP) and the Strategy for the Promotion of Green Mini-Grids.
According to African Press Organization, the IPP Joint Protocol was developed in collaboration with the Desert to Power Taskforce and the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF). It establishes standardized principles and documents to facilitate the development of large-scale solar power plants under public-private partnerships (PPPs). The mini-grid strategy aims to create a framework to accelerate implementation and encourage participation.
Discussions were furthered at a technical workshop focused on financial modeling, aimed at enhancing financial analysis tools for the viability of Sahelian national utilities. General managers and financial directors of the national utilities actively participated in this meeting.
Gouba expressed gratitude to the African Development Bank for its support of participating countries through the Desert to Power Initiative, stating that the meeting provided a fresh start. He emphasized the need to double efforts and work in synergy to achieve the set objectives.
Dr. Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Electricity, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth at the African Development Bank, congratulated the ministers and noted that the validated Common Protocol is crucial for accelerating the development of privately financed solar projects in the Sahel region. He urged countries to leverage Mission 300, a collaborative effort between the African Development Bank and the World Bank, seeking to provide electricity access to an additional 300 million people in Africa by 2030.
During the event, participants visited the Gonsin photovoltaic power plant, located northwest of Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou. The 42 MWp plant, part of the Desert to Power Initiative, includes a 10-megawatt storage system, showcasing the tangible results and impact of the Initiative in Burkina Faso.