Cooperation with Côte d’Ivoire The launch of the solar energy era

    In the vast landscape of West Africa, something glints silver in the sun: a solar power plant. Sustainable electricity is being generated in Boundiali at a plant with almost 70,000 modules. The power station is the first of its kind, and is regarded as a flagship project for the expansion of solar energy in Côte d’Ivoire. And it was built with German support.

    View of the first solar power plant in Côte d’Ivoire.

    The town of Boundiali in the northern region of Bagoué is making history in Côte d'Ivoire. It was here that, in 2024, the country’s first solar power station began operations. The plant has a capacity of up to 37 MW and supplies around 35,000 households with clean electricity. Around 150,000 people in the area are benefiting. The power plant is also making an important contribution to the fight against climate change, and represents a crucial step towards increasing the share of renewable energy in the country’s electricity supply to the targeted 45 per cent by 2030.

    Germany has contributed to the project with a loan of 27 million euros. A further 10 million euros is being provided as a grant from the European Union. Côte d’Ivoire is contributing 5 million euros from its own budget.

    Côte d’Ivoire has its own offshore gas reserves and, up to now, gas has been the country’s chief energy source, accounting for 60 per cent of supply. But this is now set to change through the gradual increase of renewables. The inauguration of the power station also marked the first step towards an expansion to a total of 83 MW. This was achieved in 2025, also with German involvement.

    With the completion of the new section, the power plant became the largest in West Africa. The aim is for the further expansion of solar energy in Côte d’Ivoire to be driven primarily by private investors. The successful project in Boundiali demonstrates that large-scale solar projects are technically and financially viable even in poorer countries such as Côte d’Ivoire. It thus serves as a flagship project in multiple respects.