Windiga Energy, a Canadian independent renewable energy power producer, and the Government of Burkina Faso, as represented by Lamoussa Salif KABORE, Minister of Mines and Energy and Lucien Marie Noël BEMBAMBA, Minister of Economy and Finance, have signed an investment support agreement thereby enabling Windiga to become the first independent solar energy producer in the country.

Siemens Energy Smart Generation Solutions has been selected to build and operate the 20 MW plant, which will be located in Zina, in the Mouhoun province. The facility is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2015 and will be the largest photovoltaic power station in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to Windiga.

The Honourable Edward Fast, Canada's Minister of International Trade who was in Burkina Faso as part of a trade mission to Africa, congratulated Windiga for the signing of the historic agreement stating, "This US$50 million project will help to meet the country's electricity needs."

Benoit La Salle, president and CEO, Windiga Energy, thanked the Governments of Burkina Faso and Canada for their support of the project. He said the strategic agreement will bring about the construction of a major renewable energy project and the launch of the solar energy industry in Burkina Faso. "This power plant will also contribute to the economic development of the region, employing about 150 Burkinabé workers during the construction phase," he added.

The PV power plant is a project that would include, among its potential financiers, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Frontier Markets Fund Managers and the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund. A power purchase agreement has been established with the National Electricity Company of Burkina (SONABEL) for the purchase of entire electricity production of the facility for 25 years.