Solar energy project takes shape

Cameroon is committed to increasing its electricity coverage. Some 166 localities in the 10 regions of the country with off grid are beneficiaries of the FCFA 53 billion project that is expected to take off by the end of this month if all go as planned.

The latest of the project update was the appointment by the Prime Minister, Philemon Yang on June 2, 2015 , of Nelson Asanji Che as the Project Director. The project is funded with a loan from the country's Chinese partners - Eximbank China.

The project of the Cameroon government through the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy will see the use of a particular renewable energy technology using solar panels.

Experts say the solar panels will capture sunlight, charge the batteries and will supply the power to households after which excesses will recharge batteries and supply to households at night.

The electrification of 166 localities is a trial of a first phase to cover 350 localities. The project in its entirety will cover 1000 localities. The components of the first phase are the fabrication and installation of solar panels, the commissioning and the electrification of the localities which are expected to kick start by the end of this month.

Villagers will pay less than FCFA 100 for a kilowatt of power when the project goes operational. However, the other class of the project customers like telephone companies will have to disburse a little above FCFA 100 per kilowatt in those localities.

The project intends to generate revenue to pay back the loan. There is therefore nothing like accepting pitfalls. This can therefore be achievable with the putting in place of a sound team. Getting qualified personnel is therefore the wish of the project owners.

The project vote holder is in the process of recruiting personnel and information from the Ministry of Water and Energy Resources say "it is a rigorous process with no room for errors."