Israel plans $1bn solar energy investment in West Africa
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Israel in the Liberian capital Monrovia on June 3, to provide solar energy worth $1 billion to 15 member countries over the next four years according to report found on the Anadolu agency website.
Reports say the deal, which was signed hours before the ECOWAS heads of state summit began in Monrovia will ramp up solar energy adoption in the sub-continent.
Country Director, Energiya Global, Israel’s leading solar developer, Remy Reinstein, said in a statement that the MoU was signed in Liberia by the Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and ECOWAS President, Marcel de-Souza along with Yosef Abramowitz, CEO Energiya Global, the firm that will execute the project.
“We are prepared to finance and build the first National Demonstration Solar Projects in all ECOWAS-affiliated countries to promote political stability, social and economic development, and to advance knowledge transfer,” said Abramowitz.
According to the Energiya Global chief executive, the company’s and its associated companies developed the first commercial scale solar field in sub-Sahara Africa in Rwanda, which is supplying six per cent of the country’s power,
Abramowitz said the group broke ground on a similar power plant in Burundi, which will supply 15 per cent of the country’s power by the end of the year.
This comes barely a month after the West Africa Clean Energy Corridor (WACEC) aimed at accelerating the deployment of utility scale renewable energy into the region, was launched in Cape Town.
Over 50 percent of the West African population has to access to electricity despite having vast amounts of sunshine throughout the year. A media liaison from African Utility Week (AUW) reported that renewable energy expert at the Ecowas Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (Ecreee), Jansénio Delgado said the region has big potential especially for renewable energy and specifically hydro power.
“The region has big potential in terms of renewable energy from hydro, solar, wind and biomass. These resources are geographically distributed which makes them complimentary.”
Israeli Ambassador to West Africa Paul Hirschson told Anadolu Agency: “We value the relationship existing between Israel and West Africa, and for ECOWAS to invite Prime Minister Netanyahu to attend its heads of states summit is an opportunity for Israel to respond as a true friend.”
Netanyahu is the first Israeli leader to be invited to the state summit which is focused on security, the fight against terrorism, climate change, governance and sustainable development.
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the outgoing chairperson of ECOWAS. Her successor will also be elected at the end of the summit.
ISAAC ANYAOGU