Caraculo solar power plant project is now underway and being constructed by Solenova a joint venture controlled equally by Italy’s energy company Eni and Angola’s Sonangol. The project is a 50 MW solar energy facility in Caraculo, Angola’s Namibe region. Caraculo solar power plant will be Angola’s first solar photovoltaic power plant.
Caraculo solar power plant is being built in two parts, with the first phase including a capacity of 25 MW. Saipem, an Italian multinational oilfield services business, will be in charge of the project’s construction services.
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Solar energy will be used to generate electricity, which will be sent to Angola’s southern territorial grid. The solar facility will help reduce fuel use for power generation and facilitate the energy transition and diversification of Angola’s energy grid, particularly in the southern area. Caraculo’s photovoltaic plant will be able to prevent 50 KtCO2eq of GHG emissions per year in terms of environmental advantages.
50 MW solar energy facility in Caraculo to help Angola meet electrification targets
According to Eni, the solar energy facility is in line with the country’s energy plans and commitments, “Angola Energy 2025,” Angola’s long-term energy strategy. Currently the country is focused on the main objective of increasing the country’s installed power generating capacity to 9.9 gigatonnes (GW) and achieving a 60% electrification rate by 2025.
The project will also help Angola’s government reach its “Action Plan of the Energy and Water Sector 2018 – 2022” targets, which include a target of 500 MW of extra renewable energy (Solar, Eolic, biomass, and Mini-Hydro) by 2022, with a special focus on utility size solar projects. The initiative also aligns with the seventh Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations: access to clean and affordable energy. Angola now has an installed capacity of little more than 6 000 MW and an electrification rate of roughly 45%. The country now relies mostly on oil, gas, and hydropower to satisfy its electrical demands.
Reported April 2021
Angola’s Caraculo Photovoltaic plant construction expected in 2022
Solenova JV has completed front end activities for phase 1 of Caraculo Photovoltaic plant construction in Angola, with expected start-up in 2022. This was revealed during a meeting between Angolan President Joao Lourenco and Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi recently. The project is being carried out by a 50-50 joint venture between Italian oil company Eni and national oil company Sonangol (Solenova).
The Caraculo Photovoltaic plant construction is located in Namibe Province, in the southwest of the country, known more for its aridity than for its oil resource wealth. According to Eni, phase 1 of the project will be followed by another phase that will allow the solar power plant to have a total capacity of 50MWp. “The implementation of the first phase which will produce 25MWp will reduce diesel consumption by an …….