AFRICA: BBE to acquire assets of solar energy provider Solarcentury
B.B. Energy (BBE), a London (UK) based oil and gas trader, announces the acquisition of Solarcentury Africa, the subsidiary of solar energy provider Solarcentury.
Through this transaction, BBE is targeting the dynamic solar energy market for
commercial and industrial (C&I) customers in Africa.
B.B. Energy (BBE) is diversifying its activities. The oil and gas trading company has just acquired all of the assets of Solarcentury in Africa. Through its local subsidiary, Solarcentury supplies solar energy to industrial and commercial (C&I) customers. Solarcentury’s assets will now be part of BBE Renewables, BBE’s subsidiary.
Solarcentury has an installed capacity of 2.1 GW in Africa. This power is sold to customers in the mining sector, as well as to large C&I customers. “The acquisition of Solar Century Africa is a major step in our energy transition journey.
This investment will help us achieve key milestones in our strategy, less than a year after the launch of the renewable energy division. Solarcentury Africa will provide a comprehensive set of in-house technical expertise and experience in the growing solar and battery sector,” says Chahid Jarmouni, Global Head of Renewables at B.B. Energy.
BBE’s African ambition
The company is also installing solar power plants with battery storage systems for utility companies in Africa. In Eritrea, for example, Solarcentury Africa has commissioned two hybrid solar plants with a combined capacity of 2.25 MW. These plants are for the state-owned Eritrea
Electric Corporation (EEC).
The larger plant, with a capacity of 1.25 MW, is located in Areza, a town in the Debub region in central Africa. The second is located in Maidma with a production capacity of 1 MW.
Both plants consist of solar photovoltaic panels that produce electricity during the day. Each plant is connected to lithium batteries manufactured by Tesla, a world leader in electricity storage.
To these components, Solarcentury has added American-made Caterpillar generators. Together, the systems provide electricity to 40,000 people in 40 villages, 500 small businesses, 15 schools, 2 kindergartens and 2 community hospitals.
Source: afrik21
