Kenya

Scientists have proposed a new system that uses surplus PV energy in the spring and the autumn to charge up underground thermal energy storage for later use in the summer and winter. They have simulated it on a school facility in Seoul, with a few optional configurations for thermal storage. Power savings were up to 39%.

A European consortium of commercial and research groups is developing lighter weight, solar-powered, cost-conscious, three and four-wheel prototype vehicles for passengers and cargo. The $13.4 million project aims for a platform that has standardized components, including the battery, powertrain, and solar PV parts, as well as support for end-of-life, maintenance, and refurbishment.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is seeking consultants to undertake a solar mapping exercise in seven of its members states: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda. The deadline for expressions of interest is August 30.

The French Development Agency has provided a confidential amount of financing for the construction of a ground-mounted solar power plant to be operated by Kenya’s national electricity company, KenGen, at the site of the Seven Forks dams, which together have a combined 600 MW of hydro power capacity.

A group of researchers has made another attempt to design solar cells based on non-toxic and earth-abundant copper antimony sulfide. The proposed cell architecture is the result of the optimization of the device’s layer thicknessess.

The Kenyan authorities have started searching for consultants to offer guidance on the development of a 42.5 MW solar project in Embu County, Kenya.

State-owned Kenyan Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) is accepting feasibility study applications for the development of a 40 MW floating PV array, backed by German funding.

Inno Neat has developed a solar-powered water filter that removes contaminants such as bacteria, viruses and heavy metals for rural communities.

Kenya recently hosted the solar-focused Powerelec Kenya event, alongside the Renewable Energy Forum Africa 2023, in Nairobi. AFSIA and SolarPower Europe organized the event with the support of Get-Invest.

Located near Nairobi, the project consists of a 150 kW solar array, a 50 kW crossflow turbine and a 240 KWh storage facility. SolarNow director and CFO Ernst Vriesendorp told pv magazine that despite the project’s humble size, it has ‘large’ benefits.