Madagascar opens tenders for 210 MW of solar

The government of Madagascar is seeking contractors for the installation of two solar parks with a combined capacity of 210 MW, official documents show.

The Ministry of Hydrogen and Hydrocarbons earlier this month released separate calls for tenders for the photovoltaic (PV) projects. The larger one is for the construction of a 200-MW complex at Ihazolava in the rural council of Ambohipihaonana, in the eastern region of Vakinankaratra near the capital Antananarivo.

The second competition is tied to the installation of a 10-MW solar plant in Mahajanga, on the northern coast of Madagascar.

The deadline for submitting proposals in both rounds is August 9.

Madagascar currently has 969 MW of power generation capacity, of which 78% is fossil fuels-based and just 2% comes from solar PV. According to data by the European Investment Bank (EIB), only 15% of the rural population is connected to the national electricity grid. Most rural households use kerosene, wood and charcoal for cooking and heating.

Madagascar does not have a legislated clean energy target but aims to make renewables account for 85% of the national power generation mix by 2030.

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