Cabeólica wins Ashden Award for Small Island Developing States

InfraCo Africa’s pioneering Cabeólica project in Cape Verde is recognised by the prestigious Global Ashden Awards, 2013. The Awards showcase the highest standards in the global sustainable energy sector.

Ashden was established in 2001 to champion and support sustainable energy leaders to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon world. By showcasing the highest standards of innovation in the global sustainable energy sector, Ashden seek to share the impact of such work on people’s lives and to disseminate key knowledge throughout the sector. Supported by the World Bank and SIDs, Ashden present annual Awards to exemplary projects in the UK and developing countries.

In 2013, Cabeólica in Cape Verde was recognised with the ‘Ashden Award for Small Island Developing States.’  InfraCo Africa became involved with Cabeólica in its early stages and worked with Government and partners to establish the first ever public-private partnership wind farm in Cape Verde.  The project now supplies up to 20% of the islands’ electricity demand, second only to Denmark in levels of wind power penetration in their energy mix.   The Award recognises our success in overcoming the demanding regulatory and practical obstacles to developing such a large-scale wind farm across four remote West African islands.  Access to clean, affordable wind power has inspired the Government of Cape Verde to take the impressive step of committing to 100% renewable energy by 2020, with Cabeólica central to their strategy.

“In 2005 I did my Masters’ thesis on the potential for 100% renewable electricity on Cape Verde, and people just laughed at the idea. But attitudes have changed completely. Within eight years, the ‘unthinkable’ has become a core part of government policy and targets.”
Ana Monteiro, Head of Environment, Social and Administrative Department, Cabeólica