- The Central African Republic (CAR) has commissioned a 25MW solar project with battery storage in Danzi village, located around 18 km from Bangui.
- The system will supply electricity to 250,000 persons in the capital, almost doubling the country’s electricity generation capacity.
- The project is funded by the World Bank and officially inaugurated in November 2024.
With an electrification rate of 35% in Bangui, 8% in the main provincial cities and towns, and only 2% in rural communes, the Central African Republic has invested in the energy sector as an engine of development to increase access to electricity and promote sustainable growth.
The Danzi solar park is the product of a partnership between the government and the World Bank and was made possible by grant funding from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA). The grant financing builds on the achievements of the Emergency Electricity Supply and Access Project (PURACEL) and the Water and Electricity Upgrading Project (PASEEL).
The plant will replace over 90% of the energy currently produced by diesel fuel, while generating more than $4 million per year for the National Electricity Company. It will also contribute to a net reduction of emissions of 670,674 metric tons of CO2. This is in addition to the support for the development of the electricity sector through the Electricity Sector Strengthening and Access Project (PARSE), which is designed to promote electrification outside the capital city by implementing mini-grid projects and distributing solar kits to households, public bodies, and businesses.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
