Axian says it has secured funding to build 20 MW of additional solar capacity and 5 MWh of storage at the Ambatolampy solar power station in the island nation of Madagascar.

The project currently includes 40 MW of PV and 5 MWh of storage and is already the largest grid-connected solar plant in the Indian Ocean region, according to Axian. It is operated by Axian and French independent power producer (IPP) Green Yellow. Axian did not say when the expanded facility would become operational.

The expansion received MGA 47.1 billion in financing in the form of A credit facility, covered by a credit guarantee with a nine-year tenor. French financial services provider Société Générale acted as the main lender. UK-based GuarantCo provided a guarantee of MGA 23.6 billion and the African Guarantee Fund (AGF) offered a guarantee of MGA 9.4 billion.

GuraantCo and the AGF already financed the first phase of the Ambatolampy project in 2020. Green Yellow and Axian also started operating another 1.8 MW PV project in Antalaha, in northeastern Madagascar, in late January.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) statistics, Madagascar has not installed any new solar capacity since 2018, standing at 33 MW.