Germany firm to build 20MW floating farm on L. Malawi

Africa’s floating solar scene is set for a utility-scale boost after plans have been revealed for a 20 megawatt (MW) project on Lake Malawi.

German EPC Droege Energy has said it will develop the so-called Monkey Bay Solar Plant in Mangochi, in the southernmost tip of Lake Malawi.

Gustavo Droege, chief executive officer at the Munich-based builder, described the 14-hectare scheme as “innovative for Africa” and said it will be financed through a mix of debt and equity.

“Several islands made by HDPE [high-density polyethylene] will be anchored 250 metres from the shore of Lake Malawi, interconnected via underwater cabling, and fenced with wave-blockers,” Droege told pv-tech.org this week. “Connection will come through a 1.83-kilometre transmission line on 33 kV”.

According to him, a competitive process will be arranged to choose a supplier for panels, inverters and other elements. The manufacturers, he anticipated, will be European.

Should it go forward with its planned 20MW size, Droege’s Monkey Bay Solar would mark a significant jump for an almost non-existent African floating solar industry.—www.pv-tech.org