At a site ceremony yesterday, France’s Total Energies, the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) and the Renewable Energy Authority of Libya (REAoL) launched the 500 MW Sadada solar power plant project. Al-Sadada is about 280 km south-east of the capital Tripoli.
According to REAoL, the plant will become the first and largest technology in Libya and will generate up to 152 TWh per year by employing the latest technological applications in the field of solar energy that will use up to 1.2 million solar panels.
Part of the 2022 strategic plan to exploit renewables for electricity
This project comes within the framework of cooperation between GECOL and REAoL to implement the strategic plan to integrate the electrical capacities produced from renewable energy sources into the electrical network.
GECOL chairman Wiam Al-Abadali stressed that this project is the first and largest in Libya, and that the project is now actually being launched.
Aim is to contribute 25 percent from renewables
For his part, Abdul Salam Al-Ansari, the head of REAoL, stressed that his organisation seeks to keep pace with developments and the exploitation of clean energy sources and the implementation of the strategic plan for the year 2022 which aims to reach 25 percent of generation capacity.
Spread the culture of using renewable energy technologies
He added that REAoL will do everything in its power to raise the percentage of renewable energies’ contribution to the national energy mix, and that REAoL will work with all agencies and sectors to spread the culture of using renewable energy technologies.
Total Energies’ Regional Director for the Middle East expressed the importance of launching this project, which is the first of its kind in Libya, and which comes as a first step in the framework of implementing a series of projects within the strategic plan established to exploit the available resources from renewable energy in all regions of Libya to enhance the capabilities of the public electricity network.
Total signs agreements with Libya
It will be recalled that last November Total Energies signed two separate agreements with the Libyan government and GECOL to implement solar energy projects.
The Memorandum of Understanding signed with GECOL on 18 May this year involved the implementation of solar energy projects throughout Libya, including the Al-Sadada power plants with a capacity of up to 500 megawatts.
Total Energies and the NOC
Total Energies is also working with Libya’s state National Oil Corporation (NOC) on several renewable energy projects including solar power supply systems to hospitals and education facilities in the oil producing regions.
NOC and Total Energies installing local solar electricity installations (libyaherald.com)
GIZ ”Kick-off workshop” in Tunis to launch solar energy in Libya – LibyaHerald
Libya Solar Energy expo – Tripoli 6 to 8 March – LibyaHerald
