The World Bank has taken significant steps to enhance sustainable energy development in the Central African Republic and The Gambia. With a focus on renewable energy, the organization has supported the construction of two solar parks with a combined capacity of 48 megawatt peak (MWp). This includes a 25 MWp facility with a 30 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) in the Central African Republic and a 23 MWp plant with an 8 MWh BESS in The Gambia.
These projects aim to provide new or improved electricity access to half a million people across both countries. In the Central African Republic, reliance on diesel generation has decreased by 90 percent due to these initiatives. Collectively, the projects are expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by one million tons over their 20-year lifespan.
Challenges persist in both nations' energy sectors, primarily due to inadequate investment and institutional capacity. In the Central African Republic, political instability from the 1990s to 2016 led to outdated infrastructure unable to meet rising demand. Meanwhile, The Gambia's dependence on thermal power sources has resulted in supply deficits and financial strains on utilities.
To address these issues, the World Bank's strategy emphasizes clean and affordable energy solutions. The approach includes detailed sector planning and encourages private sector involvement for sustainable outcomes. Efforts also focus on building essential infrastructure such as solar parks and improving transmission systems.
In the Central African Republic, projects like PASEEL and PURACEL have been instrumental since their inception in 2018 and 2019 respectively. These initiatives have facilitated solar PV plant construction and supported major reforms at ENERCA, including prepaid meter installations.
In The Gambia, under GERMP, renewable facilities have expanded infrastructure capabilities while reducing electricity production costs. Regional integration efforts have further cut generation costs by up to 25 percent compared to previous methods reliant on rental power ships.
Both countries report tangible improvements in service delivery through increased generation capacities from new power sources. Encouraged by this progress, they are advancing renewable energy projects with private sector participation.
The World Bank's investments exceed $400 million across six projects covering clean energy generation, transmission investments, and distribution enhancements. These efforts contribute significantly to reducing emissions while increasing electricity access for hundreds of thousands of people.
Future plans include expanding existing facilities in both countries. In the Central African Republic, there is an initiative to increase Danzi Solar Power Plant's capacity from 25 MWp to 40 MWp by adding new mini-grids. In The Gambia, upcoming projects will support reforms aimed at achieving universal access before the United Nations' target year of 2030.