Africa’s largest engine-solar PV hybrid power plant

Wärtsilä has delivered a 15 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant to the independent power producer (IPP) Essakane Solar SAS in Burkina Faso. The solar PV plant was constructed next to a 55 MW Wärtsilä power plant running on heavy fuel oil. The engine power plant provides backup, while the solar farm produces energy during the day. The solar PV plant and the engine power plant are controlled and operated in synchronisation, making it the largest engine-solar PV hybrid power plant in Africa.

IAMGOLD Essakane SA is the largest privately held business in Burkina Faso. The off-grid gold mine is located 330 kilometres northeast of the capital city, Ouagadougou, and 42 kilometres east of the nearest large town. In 2015, the annual gold production was 400,000 ounces (approximately 12,000 kg). Because of the isolated location of the gold mine, reliable and sustainable around-theclock energy is vital.

EREN Renewable Energy (EREN) and its partner African Energy Management Platform (AEMP) signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with IAMGOLD Essakane SA. The PPA is is jointly owned with (90%/10%) Essakane Solar SAS, who operates the solar PV plant and sells the energy to IAMGOLD’s Essakane Mine.

Wärtsilä’s engine-solar hybrids save fuel, which results in cost savings and environmental benefits. The entire scope delivered covers the full engineering, procurement & construction (EPC) of the solar PV power plant, including inverters and switchgear, in addition to almost 130,000 photovoltaic panels. Last but not least, there is the control system - a crucial component of the hybrid plant - which is also included.

Essakane Solar’s engine-solar PV hybrid power plant, supplied by Wärtsilä, is one of the largest of its kind in the world. The plant is a breakthrough for industries relying on expensive carbon-intensive diesel power, which until now has been their only reliable energy source.

For large isolated industries such as mining companies, which operate around the clock, hybridisation can be the answer, especially as the energy costs typically represent up to 30% of the operating expenses. Connecting a renewable energy source such as solar power to a Smart Power Generation plant reduces energy costs, improves the carbon as well as the social footprint, and hedges against oil price unpredictability.