Siemens Gamesa, a leader in wind power technology, has announced the construction of a new 59-megawatt wind farm in Djibouti, East Africa.

The company expects the wind farm to reduce Djibouti’s carbon emissions and the electricity cost for locals, but also encourage independence by providing a local source of energy. 

Sustainability Magazine reports that the country where 110,000 households do not have a reliable source of electricity has a lot of potential for further renewable energy development.

Markus Tacke, CEO of Siemens Gamesa, commented that, “Access to affordable energy is key to supporting long-term sustainability and economic growth. Industrialization, agricultural improvement or even the expansion of municipal water systems depend on reliable and cost-effective energy access. This project is another step in Siemens Gamesa’s commitment to shaping a sustainable future for Africa,” he said.

The farm is located on a 395-hectare site in the Gulf of Tadjoura and consists of 17 turbines.

Siemens Gamesa is building its reputation for quality wind power solutions and ambitious global projects. Recently it’s been named the preferred supplier for the Dominion Energy Virginia Offshore Wind project in the US.

This project is planned to generate 2,640 megawatts of renewable energy and would supply Virginia with 30% of its power requirements by 2030.

This means clean power for 650,000 homes and 3.7 million tonnes of CO2 removed.