Kenya

Innoenergy’s recent conference in Berlin repeated the argument financing renewable energy projects in Africa remains a struggle, however it also showcased some hopeful case studies.

The microgrid utility has raised enough capital from Shell New Energies to deploy systems across sub-Saharan Africa.

The local authority is seeking proposals to build mini-grids with generation capacities of more than 5 kW to power hospitals, markets, water pumping and street lighting. The council has expressed a strong preference for the build, operate and transfer project development model.

Industry body Gogla and the World Bank’s Lighting Global program said the last six months set a record for off-grid solar deployment. Solar home systems and other small off-grid appliances are being used in ever larger numbers.

The European Investment Bank and the Netherlands Development Finance Company have each provided €53 million for the Radiant and Eldosol solar projects.

Two solar farms with 80 MW of generation capacity tendered in 2017 are being built and will be commissioned this year but another two, allocated at the same time, are no nearer construction. Kenya, however, has been touted as the site of Africa’s first wind-solar-storage hybrid project.

The solar home system company, which enables customers to pay their solar electricity bill through an app on their mobile on a PAYG basis, has conducted a monumental funding round as it eyes expansion to become a fully-fledged pay-as-you-go utility.

The Japanese conglomerate is leading a $26 million equity investment in Azuri Technologies, which provides pay-as-you-go solar home solutions to off-grid communities throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

The African property developer has completed a 1 MW rooftop PV array at an industrial park in Nairobi. The installation is its first solar project in Kenya and part of a planned 30 MW rollout at Tatu City, its new mixed-use development in the capital.

Two Emirati developers are celebrating landmark deals with a commercial and industrial focus as Yellow Door Energy secures $65 million to expand operations into new markets and Adenium – one of Yellow Door’s backers – prepares to operate the region’s first industrial self-consumption and net metering project.