Power management company Eaton has won a contract to help build an African solar microgrid in Annobon Province, an island off Equatorial Guinea in West Central Africa.
The remote microgrid, which will use batteries for storage, is the largest self-sufficient solar microgrid project in Africa, according to Eaton.
Eaton will provide electrical engineering services and power distribution equipment for the project, a part of Equatorial Guinea’s National Economic Development Plan Horizon 2020, designed to boost Equatorial Guinea’s economy by advancing its electrical system.
MAECI Solar, a division of Management and Economics Consulting, is collaborating on the project with Wise Power Systems International to provide solar design, engineering and custom manufacturing of double glass modules and racking with full microgrid system integration.
“We are extremely excited to bring this solar microgrid solution to Annobon Island to help raise the quality of life for the people and bring world class decentralized electrical grid solutions to Equatorial Guinea and Africa,” said William Rawheiser, president of Wise Power Systems International. “The Annobon Electrification Project will bring a much needed stable, reliable, and consistent power supply to the island, and enable the development of multiple industries, bringing valuable jobs and significantly raising the standard of living.”
The Annobon Province relies on generators for up to five hours per day. Residents spend an average of 15 to 20 percent of their income on supplemental power. The solar microgrid will help them eliminate this expense by providing clean, reliable and sustainable solar electricity 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“Connecting a remote community to the conventional power grid is expensive and can take years,” Frank Campbell, president, Electrical Sector, EMEA, Eaton. “The modern microgrid being applied in the Annobon Province will serve as a model for bringing reliable and cost-effective electrical power to other remote communities, helping to advance their economies and quality of life.”
Eaton is providing switchgear assemblies, circuit protection devices and power transformers to support reliable power distribution across the island. The Eaton equipment includes embedded communications capabilities to easily integrate with microgrid energy storage components and intelligently manage demand to support an adaptable, secure and responsive infrastructure. To further enhance system reliability, safety and security, Eaton’s engineering experts are contracted to provide support ranging from installation to commissioning and system testing of Eaton’s equipment.
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