"We finally have the electricity we dream of"
The picture shows the panoramic view of the off-grid photovoltaic power plant in Collier, Somalia, Ethiopia.
Photo courtesy of China State Grid China Power Technology Equipment Co., Ltd.
On the yellow-brown Gobi, colorful flags fluttered, and nearly a thousand photovoltaic panels were shining in the sun.
The off-grid photovoltaic power station project in Somalia, Ethiopia, was officially completed and electrified recently. The village of Collier near the project was "lighted up" because of this, and more than 2,000 households and nearly 6,000 people used clean power energy.
"Today is a memorable day. The dark night will be illuminated by electric lights. Children can read under electric lights. We finally have the electricity we dream of." Villager Solomon thanked him repeatedly.
The power shortage in Ethiopia is serious. The national power penetration rate is only about 30%. Most rural areas are far away from the main power grid. The use of natural resources to build small off-grid power stations with photovoltaic, wind and energy storage is an important power supply solution one.
“The 4 photovoltaic power stations undertaken by Chinese enterprises are the earliest completed and commissioned projects among the first batch of 12 off-grid solar power stations in Ethiopia, and they are the first to send light to the villages where they are located.” Selassie, Minister of Water Resources and Energy, Ethiopia Beckley said at the completion ceremony that the project promoted the implementation of the Ethiopian Electric Power Inclusive Program.
According to reports, four photovoltaic power stations, including the off-grid photovoltaic power station project in Somalia, are distributed in remote areas in the east, southwest and west of Ethiopia. They were constructed by the State Grid China Power Technology Equipment Co., Ltd. (China Power Equipment).
These projects use smart off-grid photovoltaic systems to convert solar energy into electricity, equipped with energy storage batteries, and can remotely monitor system operation data through mobile phone applications.
The off-grid photovoltaic power station project in Somalia is one of the first demonstration projects of the World Bank’s "Light Up Africa" plan and the first pilot project in Ethiopia.
According to Chen Chao, Chief Representative of CLP Equipment in Ethiopia, the designed annual power generation capacity of the power station is 1.42 million kWh, which can ensure the stability and reliability of electricity consumption by local residents.
The completion of the photovoltaic power station has changed the lives of villagers in Collier Village.
Previously, most villagers’ home appliances were mobile phones, and the village’s hospital relied on diesel generators to generate electricity.
After the photovoltaic power station was completed, street lights were set up in the village, and the villagers began to buy more powerful electrical appliances such as fans and TVs.
"It is a very proud thing to ensure that remote African villages have access to electricity," said Zhang Zhihui, project manager of off-grid photovoltaic power plants in Somalia.
The new crown pneumonia epidemic was encountered during the construction of the project, which brought many difficulties to the construction.
Chinese companies strive to ensure that both epidemic prevention and construction are not missed. They specially dispatch medical teams and technical teams and deploy medical and epidemic prevention materials.
"While the epidemic prevention and control is well done, the project is still completed with high quality. We must praise the Chinese builders for their persistence. This is a manifestation of the strength and responsibility of Chinese enterprises." Beckley said.
To this end, the Somali state government issued a certificate to the China Electric Equipment Company to commend the company for its outstanding contributions to the development of the Somali state.
The World Bank stated that the projects built by Chinese companies set a good example of the "Light Up Africa" plan. The World Bank will use this as a template to continue to promote vigorously in more than 200 other villages without electricity in Ethiopia, and strive to achieve a national goal by 2025. 35% of the power supply is completed by off-grid photovoltaic power generation, benefiting 5.7 million households.
(This newspaper reports from Johannesburg)
South Africa correspondent Lu Qiang