Technology group Wärtsilä has been awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for its first utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant, in Nigeria.
The 75MW plant is being developed by Pan Africa Solar and, when operational, will be the largest in Nigeria; and one of the largest on the African continent, with output to the grid expected to serve 1.1-million households with electricity.
It will also be a major contributor of economic benefits to the local communities in Katsina state, in northern Nigeria.
The technology includes PV modules with single axis trackers, optimising the energy yield produced by the plant. The power plant will also have an important stabilising effect on the national grid.
The project is one of 14 solar PV projects being developed by independent power producers that signed power purchase agreements with the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader in July 2016.
The total power generated by these projects when completed will be 1.2 GW, all of which will be transmitted to the national grid.