Minigrid

Pending final closing, the Electrification Financing Initiative has announced it is considering private equity investments of €1.5 million to two French firms operating in Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso and Senegal, and $1.5 million to a Tanzanian business operating in Tanzania and Uganda.

Peel Renewable Energy is about to energize a 1.2 MW solar farm in Australia, as part of a fresh approach to microgrids. Infrastructure remains small, but the renewables-powered microgrid can grow to meet the needs of incoming businesses.

Some 15% of the finance disbursed must fit the wider definition of being ‘sustainable’ and banks and other lenders have been warned penalties will be applied for non compliance.

The use of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells as backup power generation in solar microgrids could drive down costs and improve efficiency, according to an international group of researchers. They have proposed a new energy management system that could be ideal for hybrid solar-hydrogen microgrids in remote locations.

A new fund established by the African Development Bank could attract $650 million of private money into the sector, according to the lender.

The Senegalese Rural Electrification Agency (ASER) is seeking bids for the construction of 133 mini solar power plants across 177 rural villages.

Researchers in Malaysia have proposed a new approach for optimal sizing of solar water pumps. Their method consists of using a single PV module, a charge controller, several batteries, and a DC load.

The Kenyan financial services business has been developing rural mini grids across Africa and has announced plans to show its rivals how such networks can thrive, in a bid to accelerate access to electricity on the continent.

The development lender has established a Covid-19 Off-Grid Recovery Platform with impact investors from the Netherlands, U.S. and U.K., to offer affordable loans to off-grid solar companies operating in Africa.

Australian design and manufacturing company PVDymanics has unveiled a solar canopy technology which can be used with both framed and frameless solar modules. The company believes its system can revolutionize the micro-grid market.