Abu Dhabi-based Global South Utilities (GSU) has inaugurated the Noor Chad 50MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in N’Djamena, positioning the project as Chad’s first utility-scale solar installation.
The facility will provide electricity to 274,000 homes and reduce reliance on imported diesel.
The inauguration was attended by Mahamat Ahmad Alhabo, Minister of State and Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic of Chad, along with Chad ministers, GSU CEO and managing director Ali Alshimmari, and the United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Chad, Rashid Al Shamsi.
The facility combines 50MW of solar PV capacity with a 5 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS).
Over its lifetime, the plant is expected to displace more than 1.36 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, according to GSU.
The company will operate the plant, delivering large-scale clean power to meet demand and reduce fuel import dependence.
GSU CEO and managing director Ali Alshimmari stated: “This is the first project we have delivered from signature to commissioning in Africa. It proves how quickly these markets can move when there is determination and effective partnerships that turn challenges into opportunities. At its heart, this project is about people: about enabling families, communities and nations to thrive with the stability that clean power brings.”
Project delivery included more than 350,000 work-hours, installing 81,000 solar panels and 158 inverters.
The installation will serve as a model for future renewable energy developments in Chad, supporting grid stability through the integrated BESS and accelerating access to sustainable electricity.
The Noor Chad project forms part of GSU’s growing portfolio of clean energy investments across Africa.
GSU recently bought a 51% stake in Uzbekistan’s Yashil Energiya in its inaugural investment in Central Asia and the wider Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
No financial details were divulged. The transaction provides GSU with a board seat.
Yashil Energiya is focused on the development of commercial and industrial distributed solar projects in Uzbekistan.
It currently operates 50MW of solar projects there and aims to produce 50% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030.
