Why is access to electricity important in the Gambia?

Providing access to electricity to support inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development is one of the pivotal cornerstones of the Gambia government’s priorities as articulated in the national energy sector policies and strategies, and highlighted in the National Development Plan (2018-2021).

Can the Gambia transform the energy sector?

An unprecedented level of support from the international community provides The Gambia with the opportunity to transform the energy sector and emerge as one of the leading energy sectors in the sub-region and the African continent. In this context, the Electricity Roadmap has undergone its third update since 2015.

Does the Gambia have solar energy resources?

The Gambia has significant solar energy resources which can be deployed via solar PV plants, which have become price competitive with thermal plants and attractive for advancing national renewable energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets. IRENA (2018) has estimated national solar potential at 428 MW.

Why should the Gambia invest in a solar-with-storage IPP?

Solar: with dramatically falling solar and battery storage costs, and abundant solar resources in The Gambia, competitively procured solar-with-storage IPPs offer The Gambia an excellent opportunity to introduce clean and low cost energy into the mix.

Does the Gambia need more power generation capacity?

The Gambia’s power sector will soon need additional generation capacity to be able to cover the forecast demand. A gap between available capacity and peak demand is identified from 2022 with the expiration of the Karpower contract and by 2025 nearly 140 MW of new capacity will be needed.

Should the Gambia import electricity from Senegal or Cote d'Ivoire?

The most important conclusion from the generation planning is that the least cost option for The Gambia is to import electricity from Senegal and/or Cote d’Ivoire. This conclusion is robust in all scenarios considered.