3 keys to ensure the sustainability of your solar power plant

Abstract

In the context of climate change, green energies have an important place. Solar energy has gradually taken its place in the global energy mix, and investments in the operation of solar photovoltaic plants have been stimulated by a favourable market, despite the health and geopolitical crises. How can we ensure that these investments are sustainable in the sense of the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals? This is the objective of our study. We assessed the sustainability of large-scale, grid-connected photovoltaic solar power plants by conducting six case studies in six countries on the African continent to determine the key elements. Based on internal and external variables acting on the sustainability of on-grid solar power plants at various levels, three key areas of consideration emerged: (i) evaluation - using appropriate and qualitative evaluation tools, (ii) integration - opting for an integrated approach in the development of the investment project, and (iii) responsibility - not underestimating the corporate social responsibility in the local approach.