Malbaza is a 6 MW solar power plant in Sokoto, Niger. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 2.6k homes (estimated). It ranks #11 of 11 Niger power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2018, it is around 8 years old — recently built. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, solar supplies about 3.2% of Niger's electricity; the national grid averages 674 gCO₂/kWh (3.2% low-carbon) (2024).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WKS0068276.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Capacity provenance
The public capacity above is a source-verified 2026 capacity claim: 6 MW for Malbaza solar project.
GEM · 2026 · operating plant capacity
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000827701; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
Technically it is described as Assumed PV. Solar PV converts sunlight directly into electricity with no moving parts or fuel; output varies by time of day and weather, so it pairs with storage or flexible backup.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Local climate & thermal context
This solar plant converts sunlight directly into electricity with photovoltaic panels. It sits in a hot semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSh) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 14.0°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.
Solar PV loses ~0.35%/°C above 25°C cell temperature — roughly 2.9% at warm-season highs here (estimate).
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
Niger has 1 solar power plant in this dataset, together about 6 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Badaguichiri Cement Plant power station · Coal · 30 MW · Tahoua
- Keita power station · Coal · 100 MW · Tahoua
- Salkadamna power station · Coal · 600 MW · Tahoua
Location
Coordinates 13.97, 5.525 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Malbaza?
Malbaza is a 6 MW solar power plant in Sokoto, Niger, commissioned in 2018.