Singapore-based renewable project developer and subsea engineering company G8 has announced that it has been selected as the provisional contractor to develop a floating solar plant within the Bui hydropower complex in Ghana. The 65 MW floating solar project will be built to lift the power generation capacity of the hydropower plant.
G8 has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Bui Power Authority for the installation of the GPM-65 Solar-Hydro System which will occupy around 350,000 sq. meters of water space at the Bui dam, built on the Black Volta River. G8 will deliver the future project on a full turnkey basis.
The solar-hydro system will be equipped with an advanced power management system with an optional energy storage system to combine the function of solar power and hydropower generation. G8 said the system will use its marine engineered mooring and flotation technology.
G8, along with local joint venture partner, KW Renewables, conducted a site assessment of the hydropower facility to initiate logistics and project preparation with Bui Power Authority’s operations team. The floating solar system is part of an extension to a current 5MW system and is expected to be commissioned by the third quarter of 2023.
At present, G8 has more than 2.5 GW of renewable energy and subsea transmission projects under development in Asia. Its unique expertise in marine construction and floating solar technology will provide the latest and high-quality solution to integrate solar and hydropower for increasing renewable energy production in Africa.
