Wind farms remain scarce throughout sub-Saharan Africa compared with solar plants, partly because they can cost more and take longer to build and because strong wind is generally less plentiful than sunshine, said Silvia Macri, an energy analyst at IHS Markit.

"Senegal pushed ahead its renewables agenda quite aggressively," Macri told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

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Senegal's first solar plant came online three years ago, and the country has since built several more. Other countries in the region are following suit with solar but are much further behind in terms of wind, Macri said.

In Taiba N'Diaye, 46 giant wind turbines rise over scrubland about 90 kilometres from the seaside capital. One-third are operating, and the rest are due to come online by June.

Outside the cities, much of Senegal is still not electrified. Electricity reached only about 60 per cent of the 16 million population in 2017, according to the World Bank.

The wind farm will provide enough electricity for 2 million people and prevent the emission of 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, according to Senelec.

"The next challenge is universal access," said Biteye.

Reuters