The African Development Bank (AfDB) has granted a 15 million euroloan to Cape Verde to help the country finance wind energy projects in the islands of Santiago, Sao Vicente, Sal and Boasvista, sources from the institution told PANA.

The achievement of those projects, which will be implemented by a joint company set up by the Cape Verdian government and the Electra and Infraco companies will bring in 28 additional megawatts.

The project consists of building, operating and maintaining four aeolian stocks that will be linked to the national energy network.

Each stock will include several tours with aeolian turbines, sub-stations, a command centre and a subterrean distribution line, as well as access roads.

According to specialists, Cape Verde has “favourable conditions” to produce clean and renewable energy sources from the sun and the wind.

The Cape Verdian government is involved in several ongoing projects to the effect that by 2020, the archipelago will reach be able to produce 50 per cent of energy which the country needs from alternative sources.

The investment is part of AfDB’s strategy to Cape Verde for 2009-2012, which consists in meeting the conditions to reach economic growth and strengthen the country’s basic infrastructure.

In April, AfDB chairman, Donald Kaberuka paid a working visist to Cape Verde, after which he said he was “impressed” by the development in the archipelago.

“Cape Verde is one of African countries to focus its development on development policies and not on mining resources or oil,” Kaberuka said.