The World Bank has committed $2m in grant funding for Liberia’s first utility-scale solar plant.
According to Georgia Wallen, the World Bank Liberia Country Manager, the funding will be used for a transaction adviser so that solar Independent Power Producers (IPPs) can be secured via a competitive bidding process.
The grand will also support feasibility studies and environmental and social instruments for solar plants belonging to the private sector.
The plant will take the form of a hybrid model, combining solar power generation with the pre-existing Mount Coffee Hydropower Station. The goal is to combat the impact of the country’s dry seasons by utilising cheaper solar sources to meet energy demand.
She adds: “Through this project, we are laying the foundation for utility-scale solar PV plants in Liberia to power homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses across the country.”
It is also Wallen’s hope that investment in the project will increase interest in the development of more solar infrastructure, which could tackle Liberia’s energy access gap.
The government’s Liberia RISING 2030 plan aims to point public spending towards human capital development and infrastructure, then leading the country to add 70 MW more of solar power to its energy mix. Private sector investment could help speed up this goal/
Furthermore, an MoU was signed in July 2024 securing $16m from the World Bank to construct the Regional Emergency Solar Power Intervention Project (RESPITE), which will support the installation of solar and BESS storage and increasing capacity.
The countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Chad, and Togo will be covered by the project.
