SMA Supplies Technology to the Largest PV Power Plant in West Africa

SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA) will supply 21 SMA Medium Voltage Power Station to the biggest PV power plant in West Africa. In Paris, representatives from SMA and Akuo Energy – France’s biggest independent producer of renewable energies – have now signed contracts. The 50 MW KITA solar farm in Mali is scheduled to be connected to the utility grid in 2019.

Image Source: SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA)

“We’re delighted that this project was implemented with SMA Medium Voltage Power Station,” said Boris Wolff, Executive Vice President of SMA’s Utility business unit. The components of this robust container solution are perfectly harmonized and the MVPS is supplied in turnkey form to the PV power plant. It includes powerful Sunny Central inverters, perfectly coordinated medium-voltage technology and a medium-voltage switchgear for direct connection to the utility grid. The 50 MW PV power plant will make a key contribution to the energy supply in Kayes a western region of the country and promote its economic development.”

“With SMA, we have a strong partner at our side – a partner that we’ve already worked with successfully on a number of projects around the world,” said Iamena Crolla, Structuration and Execution Director at Akuo Energy. “Thanks to their longstanding, global experience, they not only offer reliable, high-quality technological solutions but they also possess the expertise required for this flagship project.”

The plan to construct the PV power plant was initiated by R20 – Regions of Climate Action, an organization founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger that supports countries, regions and initiatives all over the world in developing their own climate protection projects. Negotiations for the KITA project, which is financed by a number of African banks, lasted more than two years and were successfully concluded in October 2018. The solar power generated here will be procured by the Malian energy supplier Electricité du Mali, with which the PV power plant operator has concluded a 28-year power purchase agreement.