• Scatec begins solar, battery expansion in Maroua and Guider

• Project to add 64.4 MW solar, 38.2 MWh battery storage

• Plants to power 200,000 homes, cut fuel use and emissions

Release by Scatec, a subsidiary of the Norwegian group Scatec, has begun a major expansion of its solar and battery plants in the northern Cameroonian cities of Maroua and Guider. The groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, September 15, marked the second phase of a project that has been operational since 2022.

The expansion will increase the combined capacity of the two sites to 64.4 MW of solar power and 38.2 MWh of battery storage. The plants are expected to produce 141.5 GWh of electricity annually, enough to power about 200,000 homes while significantly reducing the use of imported fossil fuels.

"Our partnership with ENEO demonstrates how public-private collaboration can accelerate affordable and reliable energy deployment through Release's modular and thanks to Release's modular and pre-financed approach combined with ENEO's determination," said Hans Olav Kvalvaag, CEO of Release by Scatec.

The initial plants in Maroua (18 MWp + 9.5 MWh) and Guider (17.8 MWp + 9.5 MWh) were connected to the northern Cameroonian grid just six months after the contracts were signed. According to Release, they have already reduced CO2 emissions by approximately 32,000 tons per year and cut fuel consumption by 90% between 2021 and 2023, generating an estimated 18 billion CFA francs in savings.

While renewable energy in Cameroon is still heavily dominated by hydroelectric power—which accounted for 814 MW of the country's total 877 MW installed capacity in 2024, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)—solar energy has a relatively low capacity of 63 MW. The success of the Release projects demonstrates the potential for rapidly integrating renewable energy into the grid and improving supply reliability while reducing costs.

Abdoullah Diop