The Gambia has set ambitious climate goals defined in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement, aiming to have a total of 60 MW of installed solar capacity by 2025. This NAMA Support Project (NSP)Investing in Grid-Connected Solar PV in The Gambiaprovidesincentives for the private sector to invest in solar capacity. The implementation of the project will result in 10.5 MW of installed solar capacity – 6.0 MW of installed capacity at Farafenni and 4.5 MW installed at Basse – servicing both of the country''s grids, supplying clean to satisfy approximately 144,500 people''s energy needs and reduce 322,019 tonnes of CO2 across the 26-year lifetime of the solar PV technology.
The design of this Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) in The Gambia was founded upon fundamental analysis conducted over the last decade, with specific reference to the Rural Electrification with Renewable Energy in The Gambia NAMA produced by the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) in 2015, and the Feasibility study for Grid-Connected Solar Power Generation in The Gambia developed by UNDP in 2016. The NAMA is fully embedded within The Gambia''s Vision 2020 and furthermore, it will contribute directly to the country''s NDC and its recovery from the COVID-19 crisis by providing stable solar energy throughout the day for businesses in Farafenni and Basse.
Despite rising energy demand and reducing costs of solar PV technology, a number of barriers prevent IPPs adding capacity to the regional grids, including: a lack of security around the payments made by the off-taker (NAWEC) and a lack of experience with larger scale renewable energy installations in isolated regional grids or lack of interest of independent power producers (IPP) due to challenging environment.
The NSP implementation is now underway and is already working to achieve its key target outcomes:
The setting up of the partnership, the capacity building, the feasibility studies, have taken considerable time and many unforeseen challenges have had to be overcome. As a result, the national stakeholders are excited that the project is now under implementation. IPPs will be selected through a tender process which will commence in the first quarter of 2021. The capacity building of the IPPs and the NAWEC staff is well underway and the construction of the infrastructure at both sites will commence later this year.
On 24 February, UNDP launched the tender for the Indepentend Power Producer (IPP) to work and service for the construction and operation of the Solar PV plants. Offers can be submitted until21 April 2021 through the online tendering systemof UNDP here.
For more information, please see the Investing in Grid-Connected Solar PV in The Gambia case study produced by the UNDP-UNCDF team.
Learn more about The Gambia Grid Connected Solar project.
Learn more about rural electrification with renewable energy in The Gambia.
Technical Support UnitKöthener Straße 2-3D-10963 BerlinGermany
The Gambia Solar Energy Project is an initiative within the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering which is committed to providing sustainable light and energy solutions to rural schools and communities within The Gambia.
The installations provide schools with a small amount of power and classroom lighting, allowing students to study into the dark evenings, a luxury which is not possible in the many un-electrified rural villages.
The project started in 2006 with an approach from local children from Fintry Primary School. They wanted our help to install solar power at their twin school at Sambel Kunda in rural Gambia. We willingly took up this challenge.
A team of academics, researchers and students raised funds, sourced equipment, designed solar power systems and visited the Gambia in September 2006 and March 2007. With the help of GamSolar, a Gambian solar energy business, the team installed DC lighting and AC power to Sambel Kunda Lower Basic School. They also provided DC lighting and power, to run a medical fridge in the Alexander Edwards Health Clinic in Sambel Kunda. The team instigated the installation of a telecommunications link in Sambel Kunda village providing a telephone and internet connection to the Lower Basic School.
These initial installations were so successful that the department was approached directly by neighbouring communities asking for help.
More requests for solar power installation have followed and, funding permitting, we plan to action these in the near future.
In the recent installation expeditions to The Gambia, the teams have already witnessed the tangible benefits of previous installations. Excess energy is being used to charge mobile phones and the revenue from this has been used to provide well-needed educational resources for the schools.
The following table lists some of the project''s achievements.
two solar installations and medical fridge in the clinic at Horse & Donkey Veterinary Lab
The achievements of the Gambia Solar Energy Project have only been made possible due to key partnerships with other like-minded organisations, based in both Scotland and The Gambia.
The Gambia Solar Energy Project was established in 2006 following the twinning of Fintry Primary School in Scotland with Sambel Kunda Lower Basic School in the Gambia..
Gambian Institute for Teacher Training in Scotland (GIFTS), established at Fintry Primary School in 2006, has seen teachers from Sambel Kunda Lower Basic School travel to Scotland to undertake advanced teacher training. It''s also enabled Anna Dolan, teacher at Fintry Primary School to travel to Gambia with the first installation team in 2006 to further train teachers at Sambel Kunda. GIFTS is responsible for the sending of over 20 boxes of essential teaching materials to Gambian classrooms.
In 2007 the partnership between the University of Strathclyde and GIFTS won 2 Careers Scotland Awards for Best Partnership and Citizenship.
The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust is based in Sambel Kunda, and since the first trip in 2006, has provided Strathclyde’s engineers with accommodation and much-needed transport during the installations.
The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust was established to reduce rural poverty by increasing productivity of working horses and donkeys through animal welfare and management education. The trust employs local workers to educate the rural farming community on correct care and diet for their animals. International veterinary volunteers provide specialist training for the trust.
As part of the 2008 trip, the Strathclyde team installed lighting and power to the Horse and Donkey Trust Laboratory.
Each year new installation sites are identified, and a new team of undergraduates is recruited to undertake the challenge of designing the solar power system, assist the existing team in preparation for the installation, and travel to Gambia to install the system. The team are responsible for identifying sources of funding and taking part in various fundraising activities to purchase equipment.
If you''re an undergraduate student studying in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering and are interested in the Gambia project, contact Dr Scott Strachan.
Ongoing funding is vital to securing the continued success of the Gambia Solar Energy Project. If you, or your organisation, would like to become involved, sponsor future projects, or receive more information, please contact Dr Scott Strachan.
To donate directly to the Gambia Solar Energy Project you can do this online by going to our Give2Gambia page.
Seeing young, aspiring engineers grow in confidence through their involvement in this project is really gratifying. From fundraising through to system design & installation; and the realisation of the impact that their efforts have on the local communities, underlines the benefits of this project to our own students as well as to the people of Gambia.
I would like to thank the team fromStrathclyde very sincerely for travelling toKudang to provide the local school withlighting. I urge the local community to takeownership of this newly installed technologyand to utilise it for the greater benefit of thevillage.
I was thrilled at the prospect of being able to use my engineering skills and knowledge to help children and communities in Gambia. The work was challenging: from organising to fundraising right through to the actual installations that involved working in the midday African heat!
Donate now to the Gambia Solar Energy Project
Dr. Scott StrachanInstitute for Energy and EnvironmentRoyal College Building204 George StreetGlasgowG1 1XW
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