Cape Verde government supports 3.6 MW installation to demonstrate feasibility of using renewable energy in water production

The Project “Access to sustainable energy for the management of water resources: energy-water nexus” was presented on March 4th, in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The national coordinator of the Project, Ana Monteiro, explained that this project aims to catalyze the commercial use of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency technologies in desalination and water pumping systems, while supporting the development of a comprehensive network of Energy Services (ESE / ESCO) in line with Cape Verde's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The project is budgeted at around 10 million dollars and foresees the reduction of water costs through the use of renewable energies.

By grouping a set of key interventions in the area of investment policy and capacity development, as well as awareness, the project hopes to achieve the following results:

Integrated approach to the energy-water nexus and ESE / ESCO in relevant national policies and regulations;
Improved local capacity with regard to the integrated approach to the energy-water and ESE / ESC link;
Approximately 3.6 MW of private investments in projects that address the identified water- energy connection.

The project “establishes mechanisms adapted to support the implementation of around 1.6 MW of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in pumping and desalination systems and to implement an additional 2 MW of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in investment projects in the energy-water sector that uses the development of a comprehensive network of energy services ”, stated the Minister of Industry, Trade and Energy, Alexandre Dias Monteiro.

It is also expected that there will be a significant increase in microproduction distributed for self-consumption.

Alexandre Monteiro also recalled that Cape Verde choose energy security and price stability and the reduction of the energy bill as central concerns of its energy policy through a strong commitment to renewable energies, based on the strategic plan for sustainable development. The country's target is for 2025 to reach 30% of electricity production from renewable sources - solar and wind, and to reach 50% in 2030.