Burkina Faso: PPA signed for diesel solar hybrid

Eren Renewable Energy and its partner African Energy Management Platform on 6 March announced the signing of a 15-year power purchase agreement with Iamgold Essakane gold mine to complement its existing diesel power plant with a 15MWp solar farm. The mine is 330km from Ouagadougou in northern Burkina and is not connected to the grid. It is the largest privately held business in the country and produced 400,000 ounces of gold in 2015. The 15MWp solar project, expected to be commissioned by year-end at a cost of $20m, will help decrease the mine’s fuel consumption by approximately 6m litres/yr.