US grant for solar power

The United States embassy in Maputo announced on Friday that the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has awarded a grant to the Mozambican company WHN Solar, S.A. for a feasibility study to assess the viability of a solar photovoltaic plant of up to 100 megawatts.

This solar power station, the embassy release added, will be developed in increments of 20-40 megawatts and will include an associated energy storage facility located on the property of Nacala International Airport in the northern province of Nampula.The feasibility study will support the development of the Mozambican national electricity grid in the Nacala region, which, according to the release, “suffers from a lack of sufficient generation capacity and stability issues”. The energy storage component of the project is intended to help stabilize the grid.WHN Solar has selected the US company HDR International, Inc., a multidisciplinary engineering, environmental, and consulting firm, to conduct the feasibility study.

“USTDA is pleased to support this important project that will help diversify Mozambique’s energy generation mix,” said Paul Marin, USTDA’s Acting Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa. “At the same time, the project represents business opportunities for U.S. companies in a key sector in Mozambique.”Ntanzi Carrilho, the Executive Director and CEO of WHN Solar, thanked USTDA, declaring that “With USTDA’s support, we hope to improve the quality and security of power supply in the region, with a positive impact on local communities.”Carrilho and US Ambassador Dean Pittman, acting on behalf of USTDA, signed the grant agreement in Maputo on Friday.