07-Jul-2020
Helder Andrade is a mechanical engineer, specializing in wind energy. He did his higher studies far from Cape Verde but then decided to put his know-how at the service of the archipelago. His project, funded by the African Development Bank, aims to strengthen Cape Verde's energy autonomy by developing its capacities.
“I was born in Portugal. I arrived in Cape Verde at the age of two and grew up in São Vicente with a modest family, says Helder. My father, who has always been a worker, instilled in us a sense of effort. After my primary and secondary studies in Cape Verde, I went to Brazil to learn mechanical engineering. While still a student, he learned of the Cabeólica project; he later returned to Cape Verde to take part. He is now the technical director.
Cabeólica operates four wind farms on the Cape Verdean islands of Santiago (9.35 MW), São Vicente (5.95 MW)), Sal (7.65 MW) and Boa Vista (2.55 MW). Its objective: to diversify the energy matrix of Cape Verde, stabilize the network and reduce the energy import bill from the archipelago.
“The four wind farms total around 25.5 MW of installed capacity. Thanks to this project, the penetration rate of renewable energies has increased from 2% to 20% in Cape Verde, notes Bruno Lopes, chief financial officer of Cabeólica.
The project occupies around 28% of the national market share in terms of energy production. The overall penetration rate is estimated at 15% in 2019 against 18% in 2018. The project availability rate is around 97.5% in 2019 and 98.88% in 2018 against a contractual availability of 95%. On the environmental level, the impacts on greenhouse gas emissions were significant as well as on sustainable energy resources. " In terms of jobs generated, the development results at the end of 2018 show around 40 jobs, including 06 women.
For the implementation of the project, the African Development Bank provided a long-term loan guarantee of 15 million euros, or almost a quarter of its total cost, which amounts to 64 million euros. . Bruno Lopes also stresses that the Bank's expertise has proved fundamental for the conduct of the project. From a social point of view, Cabeólica has had a direct impact on job creation: all the maintenance tasks for the wind farms are carried out by local teams and new commercial opportunities have been associated with the project itself.
In addition, the project has a teaching program dedicated to teaching clean energy sources and energy efficiency to fourth year students with the aim of improving the value of the existing natural resources of Cabo Verde . The program has been implemented in six of the country's islands, reaching more than 4,800 Cabo-Verdean students. Cabeolica has sponsored a number of important programs and initiatives aligned with the company's environmental values, as well as programs focused on community development and inclusion.
Across its territory, Cape Verde has doubled its installed capacity to around 200 MW, thereby contributing to the reduction of power cuts and increased access for populations by extending the electricity network.
Ana Monteiro is responsible for environment, social and administration of Cabeólica. This native of the island of Santiago left for the United States at the age of eight when her parents moved to New York. “During my final internship, I contacted the developer of the project, and back in Cape Verde, I was able to integrate it. I wanted to come back here, to my country and the Cabeólica project really suited my aspirations. "
For Ana Monteiro, working at Cabeólica represented a “very important opportunity”. With both professional and personal progression. “I work for my country. I am developing a project for the future, in which I am 100% involved, ”she concludes with satisfaction.
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