• Empower New Energy is building a 1.8 MWp solar plant with 2.5 MWh storage for a cocoa processing site.

• The project operates under a 25-year power supply agreement covering financing, construction and operations.

• The system will generate 2,270.6 MWh annually and reduce reliance on diesel generators.

Empower New Energy has launched the construction of a hybrid power plant combining 1.8 MWp of photovoltaic capacity and 2.5 MWh of battery storage. The system will supply the cocoa processing site of Neo Industry S.A. in Kekem.

“The partnership with Empower New Energy and Éclipse Énergies Renouvelables supports our ambition to build a competitive industry based on high standards, in line with the level of excellence we aim to deliver from Cameroon to international markets. We hope that many companies in the country will switch to solar,” said Chantal Bounkeu, chief executive of Neo Industry S.A.

The project operates under a 25-year power purchase agreement under which Empower New Energy will finance, build and operate the infrastructure. The system is expected to generate 2,270.6 MWh of electricity annually.

Moreover, the installation will allow the industrial site to reduce dependence on the national grid and diesel generators, in a context of frequent power outages. Éclipse Énergies Renouvelables is executing the project as technical partner.

This project reflects Empower’s broader strategy to deploy hybrid solar solutions for industrial and commercial clients across Africa.

In Nigeria, the company recently commissioned a 1 MWp solar plant with 2.15 MWh storage for the UMZA factory in Kano under a 10-year contract. In North Africa, it is also developing multi-site projects in Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco to reduce energy costs and secure supply for industrial clients.

Companies across sub-Saharan Africa are seeking to stabilize electricity access and cut reliance on diesel generators, which cost between three and five times more than grid electricity, according to Energy for Growth Hub.

Therefore, solar power combined with battery storage is becoming a critical solution to support sustainability and operational resilience in the region.

This article was initially published in French by Abdoullah Diop

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum