British movie star Idris Elba has teamed up with UK energy group Octopus Power to develop Sierra Leone’s first wind farm.
Octopus stated it has entered a “milestone partnership” for the undertaking with Sherbro Alliance Companions (SAP), an infrastructure improvement agency co-founded by Elba.
The partnership was introduced at this time (Thursday) on the COP28 local weather summit in Dubai.
The preliminary plan is to construct as much as 5 wind generators together with photo voltaic panels and battery storage on Sherbro Island in Sierra Leone to speed up the roll-out of renewable vitality within the West African nation.
The ability undertaking will assist Sherbro Island Metropolis, a particular financial zone being developed by SAP as a part of what Octopus described as a imaginative and prescient to “replicate the transformative financial shifts seen in locations like Singapore and Dubai.”
Elba stated: “We have a look at the pristine seashores of Sherbro Island, with the objective of making a culturally numerous worldwide metropolis that blends African custom, dynamism, and pleasure with state-of-the-art infrastructure and companies, the place improvement sits in concord with sustainability.”
Article continues under the advert
“We’re happy to accomplice with Octopus Power who share a profound dedication to sustainability and vitality which will likely be a spine to improvement on Sherbro.”
Elba, whose father was from Sierra Leone and is a “model ambassador” for the nation, co-founded SAP with Siaka Stevens – the grandson of a former president of the resource-rich nation and a long-time household pal of the British movie star.
SAP signed a memorandum of understanding with the federal government of Sierra Leone in 2019 to kick-start improvement of the undertaking, nevertheless it was delayed as a result of Covid-19 pandemic and stays in its “embryonic” levels.
Stevens stated Sherbro Island Metropolis is being “based on sustainable ideas, and will likely be fuelled by clear vitality sources.”
“Over the previous couple of years, our mission has been to remodel Sherbro and ignite a brand new manner of constructing African cities, Africa wants new cities.”
Octopus stated that work on the undertaking – its first transfer into inexperienced energy in Africa – will happen subsequent 12 months.
The undertaking is not going to solely generate clear vitality but in addition create inexperienced job alternatives and coaching for native individuals, stated Octopus.
Simply 28% of individuals in Sierra Leone are estimated to have entry to electrical energy, stated Octopus. With the nation aiming to generate 85% of its electrical energy by renewables by 2030, Octopus stated there may be “large potential to quickly scale clear, low cost vitality to extra individuals.”
Octopus Power Technology CEO Zoisa North-Bond stated it is a “momentous day for Octopus as we kick off our first renewables undertaking in Africa.”
“We’re extremely excited to be working with Idris, Siaka and their staff who’re actual visionaries making a vibrant and sustainable future in Sherbro Island”.
