Ethiopia

Developed by an international research team, the proposed methodology can reportedly be used with all kinds of solar panels and under different environment conditions. It relies uniquely on the specifications of the modules’ datasheet, temperature and insolation intensity.

Poor planning, overambitious projects and “weak” human and institutional expertise are just some problems plaguing the Ethiopian government’s best efforts to procure renewable energy projects, according to a new study.

Researchers in Sweden investigated the complex non-linear tradeoffs between capacity expansion costs and reliability levels of off-grid PV mini-grids and found that capacity expansion based solely on cost-minimization may result in several reliability issues.

The Ethiopian government has secured financing from the World Bank through the Access to Distributed Electricity and Lighting in Ethiopia (ADELE) program for 20 solar minigrid projects.

Previously announced plans by the solar developer to pay a deposit to secure gas from a connected business expired on Friday and the company has now said it will focus on a form of the energy carrier powered by renewables.

A business based at a Namibian mine has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement which will back the construction of a 5.4MW solar project. Elsewhere, the AfDB wants to roll-out solar panels to provide electricity access to six million people across six nations over the next six years.

The Chinese solar developer, which has sold off four-fifths of its PV project capacity to state-owned entities, wants the permission of the holders of $420 million of 2024 senior notes to change the terms of their investment so it can buy Ethiopian natural gas from a connected business.

While East Africa – and Kenya is particular – has made great strides in the provision of off-grid solar systems, Central Africa is a long way behind, according to a new report from IRENA and the African Development Bank. In terms of investment, the study’s authors wrote, much, much more will be required to achieve universal electricity access this decade.

The move will encourage private sector renewables companies to be part of the national energy industry, a representative of the regulator told a recent webinar which considered how to accelerate clean energy roll-out in Africa.

With pressure mounting on the world’s governments to turn their back on the fossil fuel, China and peers in South East Asia, Europe and South Asia could help deliver a coal-free future at the COP26 climate summit planned in Glasgow in November.