The largest solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Africa is established by International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) by by the government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and Masdar, the renewable energy company of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.
15-megawatts of this new facility is the largest solar PV plant, which will account 10 per cent of Mauritania's energy capacity, displace approximately 21,225 tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year and supply energy to nearly 10,000 homes in Nouakchott, the Abu Dhabi-based organisation said.
"Globally renewable energy has tremendous potential to meet our growing energy needs and with the business case for renewables improving rapidly, the time has never been better for renewables," Adnan Z. Amin, director-general of Irena said.
"We are encouraged to see one of our early members, Mauritania, beginning their transition to an affordable secure and sustainable energy system," he added.
Further to this the nation's demand for energy grew by an estimated 12 per cent in 2012, compounding the pressure on their 144-megawatts of installed capacity and resulting in severe energy shortages, according to Irena.
"Energy access is a pathway to economic and social opportunity," said Mauritania President Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz during the inauguration of the solar plant.
15-megawatts of this new facility is the largest solar PV plant, which will account 10 per cent of Mauritania's energy capacity, displace approximately 21,225 tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year and supply energy to nearly 10,000 homes in Nouakchott, the Abu Dhabi-based organisation said.
"Globally renewable energy has tremendous potential to meet our growing energy needs and with the business case for renewables improving rapidly, the time has never been better for renewables," Adnan Z. Amin, director-general of Irena said.
"We are encouraged to see one of our early members, Mauritania, beginning their transition to an affordable secure and sustainable energy system," he added.
Further to this the nation's demand for energy grew by an estimated 12 per cent in 2012, compounding the pressure on their 144-megawatts of installed capacity and resulting in severe energy shortages, according to Irena.
"Energy access is a pathway to economic and social opportunity," said Mauritania President Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz during the inauguration of the solar plant.