Wind power too expensive to produce – EDC boss

In an interview granted to Le Monde Afrique, Théodore Nsangou, the Managing Director of Electricity Development Corporation (EDC), the state-owned company in the electricity sector in Cameroon, shines light on the reasons why energy projects in wind power are practically non-existent in the country.

«We have many projects in the pipeline, whether in solar or biomass. No wind power project, because the production is very poor», he states.

Indeed, to date, a sole project producing electricity from a wind powered plant has been in development in Cameroon for years, and moreover is experiencing delays in being launched. It is a plant to be set up on Monts Bamboutos, with a capacity of 42 MW up to 80 MW.

The energy mix of the country remains largely dominated by hydro-electric power, while glimmers seem to be in the offing for solar power, whose most advantageous area is in the northern part of Cameroon, where it is sunniest according to experts.

However, once again, specifies Thédore Nsangou, «the projects (...) have been dragging on a lot. Because, their price was still too high ten years ago. In addition, with Boko Haram, the insecurity in the North of the country, there where we have favorable areas thanks to a high level of sunshine…», has not allowed the implementation of these projects.