World Bank Approves $168m for Solar Electrification in Burkina Faso

The World Bank has approved several loans worth over $168 million for the government of Burkina Faso for the implementation of its “Large-Scale Solar and Rural Electrification Project” (Soleer). Of the total amount, $93 million is a loan from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF), while $75 million was provided by the International Development Association (IDA).

The Soleer project aims to mobiles finance for solar energy to increase access. This programme seeks to enhance the private sector’s participation in the country’s solar energy sector. According to the World Bank, the programme will enable the country to mobilise over $400 million of private investment in solar generation and innovative battery storage systems. “This will allow the country’s solar potential to be scaled up, reduce the cost of electricity supply, and thus expand access to electricity services in rural areas, without increasing the need for recurrent subsidies to the sector,” added Alexis Madelain, the project team leader at the World Bank.

Independent power producers (IPPs) will support the government to deploy about 300 MWp of solar capacity with storage. The new plants are expected to reinforce the country’s network managed by state utility Société Nationale d’électricité du Burkina Faso (Sonabel).

The government plans to deploy clean and hybrid off-grid systems for rural areas. Private companies will build and operate these mini-grids. Off-grid developers will receive support from the Fonds de Développement de electrification (FDE), the facilitating and financing body for rural electrification in Burkina Faso.

The World Bank believes that this Soleer project will electrify about 300 rural communities and extend electricity connection to 120,000 households, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), including community infrastructures such as schools and health centres.