POWER PLANT SUN COMING TO SUDAN

Bringing CSP to Sudan
Rikki Stancich, 22 April 2010 (CSP Today)

"The Sudanese government has committed to developing 2GW of [concentrated solar power, CSP] in order to access water, irrigate farms and power villages…[French developer] Solar Euromed…announced an exclusive agreement with the Ministry of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Sudan for the development, construction and operation of 2GW of CSP over the next decade…The first two projects (100 MW and 150 MW, respectively) are expected to come online by 2014…[and] provide affordable power and water supply to several affected Sudanese regions, including the Darfur region."

[Marc Benmarraze, CEO, Solar Euromed:] "We have a framework program in place…over the next ten years, we will start with 100 MW program…to use CSP to access ground water reserves and to provide irrigation and power in the Darfur region. The second project is an ISCC plant – CSP combined cycle, which will be gas-fired. This will not be in the Darfur, or western region; rather it will be in the Eastern region, where there is a lack of electricity and water…[CSP will] power desalination plants. In the eastern region there are plentiful gas resources [for a hybrid gas-solar plant]…"

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[Marc Benmarraze, CEO, Solar Euromed:] "Solar Euromed is solely the developer. The government will provide all guarantees to raise the funding…[Sudan has] significant oil and gas reserves…A state-owned oil and gas company, which is healthy financially, has committed to partially financing the project…We are also open to other interests…"

[Marc Benmarraze, CEO, Solar Euromed:] "The PPAs will be different from project to project…[T]he involvement of the gas project will be dependent on the project’s requirement and the appetite of the external investors…We are currently in discussion with two utilities for PPAs for both the 100MW and the 150 MW projects…In the central region, there is a complete network governed by National Electricity Corporation. But in the Western region…it is all local networks, given that it is a desert region…The first plant will be located near the capital of North Darfur. The PPA is being signed both with the local government in North Darfur and central government…"

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[Marc Benmarraze, CEO, Solar Euromed:] "Initially we intend to use our own fresnel technology, but we are open to partnering with our German, Spanish, Italian and other European colleagues…The potential…is huge, so there is an opportunity for other technology developers, EPC contractors, operators, and financial institutions…[T]o deploy 2GW of CSP over the next decade…There is no way we alone could service that demand."

[Marc Benmarraze, CEO, Solar Euromed:] "…[T]here is considerable potential in Saharan Africa, including Sudan …[T]he partners of the Desertec Initiative are welcome to participate and we already work together. However, it should be noted that the primary focus of these projects is to service local demand and afterward the export of renewable energy to Europe, The objective is to harness solar power to generate electricity, power and water, with a tremendous humanitarian content."