Toyota Tsusho says that it has finalized a contract with Beninese Electricity Production Co., operating under the Benin Ministry of Energy and Water, to set up a 25 MW solar plant in Pobè region, Benin.

Toyota Tsusho has completed a project development study with the support of the Benin government, including Beninese Electricity Production Co. Toyota Tsusho and Germany's EPC RMT, a subsidiary of Eiffage Group, now plan to construct a 25 MW solar plant – set to become one of the largest in Benin. They aim to complete the project in 2024.

Separately, the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), a non-profit organization, recently commissioned 24 solar-powered water pumps and five solar-powered vaccine refrigerators in Kalalé.

In the water pump initiative, solar arrays were integrated with pumps in 24 villages. These pumps operate during the day, pulling water from underground into elevated reservoirs. The water is then distributed by gravity to a central station, accessible to the local community for a small fee, covering maintenance. This innovation eradicates the need for residents to spend hours fetching water over long distances daily.

The vaccine refrigerators use direct-drive with an energy harvest control (EHC) to charge clinic devices. Surplus energy is diverted to power battery-operated lights or cell phones. Solar streetlights were also installed near the clinics for patient accessibility at night.

Benin, which is mainly reliant on thermal power plants, aims to achieve 150 MW solar capacity by 2026.