Kenya

Kenya Electricity Generating Co. (KenGen) is searching for up to seven companies to assist with a 42.5 MW solar project with 3 MW/4.5 MWh of accompanying battery energy storage. The deadline for applications is July 29.

Kenya has launched a tender for two 40 MW solar projects in its southern regions. Apex consultancy is leading the search for an engineering, procurement, and construction contractor for the Isinya and Makueni solar farms, both set to develop in Kajiado and Makueni counties.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has revealed plans to install solar systems in 18 offices by 2025, aiming to cut emissions and reduce reliance on diesel.

Research led by the University of Sheffield installed an off-grid agrivoltaic system in Tanzania and a grid-tied agrivoltaic system in Kenya. They found the installations helped boost crop yield and conserve water while generating electricity at a lower cost than the national grid.

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.