Lekela, the renewable power generation company delivering utility-scale wind projects across Africa, today welcomes Senegalese and US government officials to its Parc Eolien Taiba N’Diaye wind project in Senegal to mark progress made on the Power Compact agreed between the United States and Senegalese governments. This agreement is a key project for Senegal which aims to increase reliability and access to energy in Senegal, while strengthening the country’s power sector.
Officials from the Millenium Change Corporation (MCC), Senegal’s Ministry for Energy, Senelec and the US Ambassador in Senegal are visiting Parc Eolien Taiba N’Diaye to mark the MCC’s first investment into the Power Compact in September 2021, and to see the impact the wind farm is having on Senegal’s electricity grid and the local community of Taiba N’Diaye.
Lekela is also developing a battery storage facility next to Tobene sub-station in coordination with Senelec, which the MCC and MCA (Millenium Challenge Account) have expressed interest in partially subsidising as part of the Power Compact funding, subject to technical studies.
The proposed 40 MW battery will provide 160MWh of energy, making it one of the largest of its kind in Africa, and the first such project in Senegal. The project will help to stabilise the production of energy from the wind farm and allow for the integration of more renewable energy into Senegal’s grid. Earlier this year, Lekela appointed DNV, an independent contractor, to carry out feasibility studies for the project.
Chris Antonopoulos, CEO of Lekela, said, “The MCC is helping fund innovative clean energy projects, like our proposed battery storage project at Parc Eolien Taiba N’Diaye, furthering the Senegalese government’s aim of providing long-lasting, reliable clean energy for Senegal. We’re so pleased to welcome the delegation from the United States and Senegalese governments to Parc Eolien Taiba N’Diaye and the step forward this represents for Senegal and renewable energy in West Africa.”
Parc Eolien Taiba N’Diaye is itself the first utility-scale windfarm in both Senegal and West Africa more broadly, and forms a key part of the Senegalese government’s efforts to make its energy supply cleaner and more diverse. The 158 MW wind farm will help avoid the release of 300000 tonnes of CO2 annually and will deliver clean, reliable power to over 2 million people in Senegal for up to 20 years. Lekela also works closely with the local community of Taiba N’Diaye, investing US$20 million in a socio-economic programme focused on education, enterprise and the environment.