The President of Malawi, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, this Tuesday presided over an official inauguration of the 20MWac Golomoti solar-storage power plant, developed by Canada’s JCM Power and PIDG’s subsidiary InfraCo Africa.
The renewable energy plant reached commercial operations in March 2022, and is the second project in the country developed by the two companies, the other one being the 60MWac Salima solar plant completed last year.
“It has only been six and a half months since I inaugurated the first 60MW solar power plant by JCM. In fact, it was mentioned on that occasion that a second plant was being developed here at Golomoti, aimed at supplying an additional 20MW using the kind of battery energy storage system that promises to give us an energy mix away from fossil fuel-powered generators that contribute to climate change,” said Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, the President of Malawi during the official opening ceremony.
Golomoti incorporates highly efficient bifacial solar panels, and a utility-scale 5MW/10MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa and Malawi.
“We are delighted to be here with His Excellency today as he inaugurates the Golomoti Solar plant. As with its sister plant, Salima Solar, Golomoti is testament to the commitment of his government, Ministries and ESCOM to delivering new clean energy for Malawi’s consumers,” said Elizabeth Hipwell, InfraCo Africa’s Chief Operating Officer.
Solar-storage power plant to reduce Malawi’s dependency on diesel
According to JCM, the renewable energy facility will help support existing hydro generation plants in Malawi, and reduce the country’s reliance on diesel generation by enabling the solar plant to provide reliable power during the day. The BESS will ensure that grid stability is maintained, a key consideration when adding new intermittent renewable energy capacity.
Through the solar-storage power plant, JCM will provide technical training and development of young engineers in Malawi, and neighbouring countries around battery energy storage technologies. It is anticipated that performance data from the BESS will inform similar systems elsewhere in the region.
JCM Power’s Co-Founder and Chief Development Officer, Justin Woodward, said, “We are thrilled to be holding the inauguration of the Golomoti project, just six months after inaugurating Golomoti’s sister facility in Salima. It is a testament of the team and of the government of Malawi to its commitment to the implementation of renewable energy to deliver two ground-breaking power plants within such a short period of time. The Golomoti project is a pioneering project and is a showcase for the country and the region.”
Together, the Golomoti and Salima Solar projects have added 80MWac of renewable energy capacity to support Malawi’s grid and will help it move closer to its renewable energy goals. The country targets to have an installed renewable energy capacity of 1000MW by 2040 and reduce its carbon emissions by 51%.
