Off-grid

Country’s ambitious solar parks program is being undermined by insufficient infrastructure and delays in site preparation and land acquisition, finds analysis by Mercom Capital Group.

The Energy Africa Compact signed by the U.K.’s Department for International Development with the Ugandan government aims to improve access to, and innovation in, solar energy in the country.

The Dutch off-grid solar provider raises mixture of private equity investment and financing from development banks to roll out power systems in Nigeria.

The consulting firm says that price reductions in both distributed PV and battery technology are making microgrids more bankable, as are improved control and management systems.

The US government agency USAID announced during the UN Climate conference (COP 22) in Morocco $4 million in funding to solar start-ups that support African off-grid solar energy. The funding is significant because it concerns a risky fragment of Africa’s solar energy.

The 1.4 MW solar and 6 MWh battery system will supply power to the 600 residents of Ta’u, replacing the island’s diesel generators.

Analysis by Bloomberg New Energy Finance projects Indian renewables sector to grow by at least 10 GW next year as investments pour into large-scale solar, rooftop solar and off-grid sectors.

Containerized product comprising power converter, battery storage and control system compatible with all sorts of solar applications and suitable for mature and emerging regions, says company.

The Swiss-based power electronics company will install a 600 kW rooftop solar array at its production facility in Vadodara, and a PowerStore Battery grid that will manage the plant’s energy.

Falling solar costs in Africa can drive solar boom on the continent as prices fall to $1.30 per watt for large-scale PV, and $1.90 per watt for mini-grids, finds new IRENA report.