On June 13, 2018, the solar PV IPP Framework Consultant and IPP Transaction Advisor project officially started. The grand kick-off meeting took place in Cotonou, Benin, attended by the Special Energy Advisor to the Minister of Energy and President of the Supervision Committee, Mr. Edouard Dahomé, high level representatives of MCC (USA) and MCA Benin II, as well as other high-ranking representatives from politics and business of Benin.

intec, in association with Ernst & Young (EY), France, Lead Consultant, and Mayer Brown International LLP, France, legal advisor, as technical advisor for the implementation of this project, was represented by Dr. Burkhard Rosier, the internal Project Coordinator.

The objective of this project is to increase the installed renewable energy generating capacity. In this context a program is established to attract IPPs to develop, design, construct, operate and maintain solar PV generation facilities. The program includes the development of an IPP institutional framework and standard forms of contract as well as the execution of a competitive bidding process for the Government of Benin as well as structuring and leading the transaction process as Transaction Advisor for four solar PV plants totalizing an installed capacity of about 45 MWc.

Both, the Special Energy Advisor to the Minister of Energy and President of the Supervision Committee and the Senior Operations Advisor from MCC, emphasized in their speeches the benefits of the project for the sustainable development of the economic and energy sector in Benin and the sub-region as well as its assistance to help facilitate poverty reduction through economic growth.