IRENA typically receives and reviews around 80 to 100 applications for funding to the IRENA/ADFD Project Facility in each cycle. Since 2014, ADFD has selected 32 renewable energy projects for funding in 26 different countries from IRENA's recommended list. ADFD has allocated USD 350 million in concessional loans to these projects over all seven cycles, helping to mobilise a further USD 567 million in co-financing from other sources including governments, the private sector and other development funds. For further details on the status of selected projects from the first to the sixth cycle, download the progress report. In the seventh cycle, ADFD allocated the highest amount of funding of USD 105 million to eight projects announced in January 2020.
This project is the second phase of a hybrid solar and wind project, submitted by the Department of the Environment of the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, that was selected in the third cycle. The technology and equipment that will be installed to deliver reliable and affordable energy to more than 5,500 households, has been designed to withstand major hurricanes and storms. The utilization of lessons learned from the first phase of the project is expected to boost the implementation pace of this second phase. The project will lead to reductions of 18.4 million litres in fossil fuel consumption annually in addition to cutting down greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 64,685 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
This locally developed solar PV project is supported by the Burkina Rural Electrification Agency (Agence Burkinabé de l'Electrification Rurale - ABER) and is the second project from private developer Sahelia Solar, to be awarded funding through the IRENA/ADFD Project Facility. The mini-grids will provide modern electricity services to 150 villages in Burkina Faso. In addition to providing efficient agro-processing facilities, the project will enable electricity connection for 2,000 micro-businesses and 5,000 households, benefitting a total of 35,000 people.
The Ministry of Petroleum, Mines and Energy will oversee the installation of solar PV systems with lithium-ion battery storage as backup, across six cities in the Republic of Chad. The government backed project will have an impact on 215,000 people, reduce fossil fuel consumption by 5.4 million litres annually and galvanize the local economy by facilitating the creation of an estimated 25,000 jobs.
Four solar plants with battery storage systems will be implemented in the island of Isla de la Juventud to serve as a source of clean energy generation for 32,300 people as well as enabling savings of USD 2.4 million annually on the costs associated with the import of fossil fuels. The Cuban utility company that has put forward this project for funding, Unión Electrica has achieved great success in delivering the project that was selected in the first cycle of the IRENA/ADFD Project Facility and have devised a cost and time effective blueprint, consisting of recruiting local developers and consultants, that will be valuable to the implementation of this project.
The waste to energy facility will aim to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions through the generation of electricity and water from waste. The project will impact the entire population of Addu City, approximately 35,000 people, and will lead to savings of USD 1.4 million on fossil fuel importing annually. This is the second project from Maldives submitted by the Ministry of Environment, that has been selected for funding by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development through the IRENA/ADFD Facility with the project from the first cycle beginning to generate electricity in 2019.
This government driven initiative, led by the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre of Nepal, will implement over 350 large biogas digesters throughout the country that will convert organic waste into renewable natural gas. The project will create approximately 1,200 direct and indirect jobs throughout its lifespan as well as benefitting 500 small and medium scale industries and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 200,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
This national priority solar PV with battery storage project, put forward by the St. Lucia Electricity Services (LUCELEC), is a key step in following the National Energy Transition Strategy (NETS) jointly developed by the Government of Saint Lucia and LUCELEC. The project is expected to benefit the entire population, an estimated 179,000 people, while cutting down greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 14,890 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.