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Malindi Solar Power Plant,
Kenya
The Malindi Solar utility-scale PV project in Kenya provides Name of Project Malindi Solar
another example of Nextracker’s project management and Globeleq, Africa
Developer / Owner Energy Development
product technology excellence in challenging emerging markets. Corp. (AEDC)
EPC Sterling and Wilson
Project Overview Kenya Power and
Offtaker / PPA Lighting Co. (KPLC),
Located on the coast of Kenya, the 52 MWp Malindi Solar plant is one of 20-year PPA
the largest utility solar farms in East Africa. The project was developed by 52 MW-DC/40 MW-
Capacity
Malindi Solar Group Ltd (MSG), which is owned by Globeleq (90%), an African AC
independent power producer (IPP), and its partner AEDC (10%). Project financing 44,500 tons of CO2
was provided by BII (formerly CDC Group) and DEG, the development finance Carbon offset
annually
institutions of the UK and Germany, respectively. Sterling and Wilson was
Trackers NX Horizon
contracted by MSG to perform the engineering, procurement and construction
work for the project. Construction on the project began in 2019 and was Modules 157,000
completed in 2021. The plant has been generating clean electricity since
250 (direct); 5,600
mid-December 2021 and selling it to national utility Kenya Power and Lighting Job creation (secondary area
Company (KPLC) under the terms of a long-term power purchase agreement. impact)
The project also included the construction of the new 220 kV Weru substation,
which is now part of KPLC’s national grid infrastructure.
Nextracker was chosen for the Malindi Solar project because of its world-
leading solar tracker technology and proven track record of ontime delivery,
engineering and project management expertise, and comprehensive global
Nextracker was selected for
services organization.
the project because of the
company's track record for
delivering high-quality solar
The Challenge: Limited Local Solar Expertise tracker systems and their
deep bench of expertise in
and Tooling, Compliance, High Winds dealing with extreme weather
and difficult soil conditions.
As the first major solar project of its kind in the Kenyan coastal area, Malindi We look forward to our
continued partnership in
faced a number of challenges. These included a long project development
helping the Kenya realize its
cycle, limited solar expertise in the area, lack of availability of tools and clean energy vision for 2030
materials in the local market, additional compliance requirements for and beyond.
importing materials, and delays in grid availability and interconnection. – Brian Baturevich, Managing
In addition, the site experiences high wind speeds (up to 200 kph [125 mph], Director, Engineering, Globeleq
per ACSE/SEI 7-10) and difficult rocky soil conditions.
Nextracker Case Study: Malindi Solar power plant, Kenya
Meeting the Challenge: Meticulous Planning,
Installer Training, Remote Management Features &
Nextracker successfully managed the project, with limited infrastructure Benefits
and an underdeveloped workforce. In addition to training local installers,
meticulous planning helped alleviate the low availability of tooling in the area.
Timely deliveries were achieved despite the difficulties of doing business
Hundreds
of jobs created
in the midst of a pandemic and global supply chain disruption. Significant
portions of the construction and commissioning activities were successfully
managed remotely as well. 44,500 tons
of CO 2 emissions avoided per year
One particular construction challenge occurred during the foundation and
pile driving portion of tracker installation. The initial pile plan needed to
be updated during construction to meet ground conditions. Based on the
results of pull-out tests, the decision was made to employ concrete-encased
foundations throughout the project site to accommodate the rocky soil.
Despite this midstream change, Nextracker’s rapid solution to the problem
kept the project on track, with no impact on the commissioning date.
Benefits: Clean Energy, Job Creation, A New Market
The Malindi Solar project has helped build the foundation for utility solar businesses in Kenya. Hundreds of jobs have
been created, backed by local training and workforce development, with thousands more jobs likely to result from
more stable electricity supply in the region. This is one of the first large-scale solar farms in Kenya and the only one
in the coastal region, so future projects will also benefit from the supply chain channel efforts created during the
development and construction of the project. Malindi Solar is located in a region that faces grid stability issues and
power demand is increasing, so most of the generation will be consumed locally by some 250,000 residential and
business customers. The plant will offset 44,500 tons of carbon emissions annually.
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