West Kaide Solar Power Generation

Are solar PV and wind power projects cost-competitive?

The typical levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of solar PV and wind power projects has dropped substantially and resulted in cost-competitiveness with fossil fuel and hydropower plants 2.

Will solar and wind power grow in Africa?

Given the favourable cost projections for both solar PV and wind power, the International Energy Agency predicts that these sources could record strongly increased growth rates across Africa in the period up to 2030, and reach 27% of Africa’s aggregate electricity mix by that same year 14.

Could large solar farms in the Sahara Desert redistribute solar power?

Large solar farms in the Sahara Desert could redistribute solar power generation potential locally as well as globally through disturbance of large-scale atmospheric teleconnections, according to simulations with an Earth system model.

Is a coordinated expansion of solar and wind a viable alternative?

This implies that a coordinated expansion of solar, wind and cross-border transmission capacity presents an alternative to exhausting West Africa’s full hydropower potential.

Can smart management of hydropower plants support grid integration in West Africa?

We demonstrate that smart management of present and future hydropower plants in West Africa can support substantial grid integration of solar and wind power, limiting natural gas consumption while avoiding ecologically harmful hydropower overexploitation.

Can solar & wind power save Ghana's energy demand?

For instance, the solar/wind contribution of 28 TWh yr –1 to total RE generation under the middle bound of the power pool scenario can directly avoid 28 TWh yr –1 of electricity from natural gas, roughly Ghana’s expected on-grid power demand by 2030 (ref. 30 ).