Cameroon Plans 244 MW Solar Boost With Two New Plants

Two massive solar farms are coming to Cameroon, bringing the country closer to its ambitious renewable energy goals and lighting up new possibilities for Central Africa's energy future.

Cameroon's Electricity Sector Regulatory Authority is working with developers on a 200 MW solar plant in Ntui and a 44 MW facility in Banyo. Together, these projects represent a giant leap for a nation where utility-scale solar is just getting started.

French developer WB Synergy and Cameroonian engineering firm TES Technologies are partnering on the larger Ntui project in central Cameroon. Officials met earlier this month to hammer out technical, legal, and financial details, with regulators committed to guiding the project through approval processes.

The Banyo project in northern Cameroon comes with an extra bonus: battery storage. The Foundation for Development of Ecology & Humankind presented plans for the facility, which will help stabilize the grid and store power for nighttime use.

These projects are bigger than anything Cameroon has built before. The country's current largest solar installations are the Maroua and Guider plants, completed in September 2023 with just 35.8 MW combined capacity.

Cameroon set a goal of adding 250 MW of grid-connected solar by decade's end. These two projects alone would get the nation 98% of the way there, transforming what seemed like an ambitious target into an achievable reality.

The Ripple Effect

This solar expansion ripples far beyond Cameroon's borders. As one of Central Africa's larger economies, Cameroon's success with renewable energy creates a roadmap for neighboring countries facing similar electricity challenges.

The projects bring jobs for construction workers, technicians, and engineers right now, with long-term operations creating stable employment for decades. Local expertise grows with each installation, building a foundation for future clean energy projects across the region.

Battery storage at the Banyo site tackles one of solar power's biggest challenges: keeping the lights on after sunset. This technology transfer helps prove that African nations can leapfrog older power generation methods and move straight to modern, flexible renewable systems.

Norwegian developer Scatec already announced expansions to its existing Cameroon facilities, adding another 28.6 MW of solar capacity. Success breeds success, and investor confidence grows as each project comes online and delivers reliable power.

The Africa Solar Industry Association tracks 831 MW of solar projects across Cameroon in various stages, showing that today's announcements are part of a broader transformation gathering momentum across the country.

Clean energy means cleaner air for Cameroonian families and fewer carbon emissions warming our shared planet.