Cleanwatts commits to São Tomé and Príncipe

Cleanwatts signed a contract with the government of São Tomé and Príncipe for the production and sale of affordable clean energy. It will help develop photovoltaic energy and reduce the country’s energy dependence.

A lever for growth

Cleanwatts agrees with the government of São Tomé and Príncipe to plan the installation of photovoltaic plants in the country. The project starts with the installation of solar energy parks at the country’s national airport and on the island of Príncipe. This project is being carried out in collaboration with the Power & Water Company, the country’s utility company.

The local company Pleno Ambiente STP is in charge of the installation, operation and maintenance of the photovoltaic plants. Michaël Pinto, CEO of Cleanwatts, sees the islands as a promising growth segment for local energy markets. A stable and affordable energy supply is very important for island states.

An ambitious goal

The project’s stakeholders aim to revolutionize the country’s relationship with energy. At present, São Tomé and Príncipe faces price and supply shortages. Indeed, 76.6% of the population has access to electricity.

However, the electricity comes from diesel, which is mostly imported. Cleanwatts is part of the policy of reducing dependence on fossil fuels led by the country’s government. This sets the objective of achieving a 50% share of renewable energy in the energy mix by 2030, compared to 5% currently.