Shell Foundation and Rockefeller support $11bn African mini-grids fund
Crossboundary Energy Access – which claims to be the continent’s first mini-grid financing facility – wants to unlock $11 billion in private capital to bring energy to 100 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. Raising capital has been a struggle despite mini-grids being lauded as a solid solution for electrification.
African commercial and industrial PV market grows on the back of outages and high tariffs
According to a new report from BloombergNEF, cheap solar energy could benefit many businesses in sub-Saharan Africa. However, regulatory and financial obstacles are causing concern.
Tender for 15 MW/5MWh solar-plus-storage project released in Nigeria
The University of Benin has started the qualifiction stage of the tender for a project that will be developed as a public-private partnership.
Voltalia bags EPC, O&M contract for 40 MW PV project in Kenya
The services will be provided for Alten Africa. The IPP says the project is its first utility-scale system in Kenya. The country has recently presented its universal electrification strategy, which places emphasis on solar PV generation.
Minigrid development a win-win scenario for Nigeria, says Rocky Mountain Institute
A new report from U.S. based Rocky Mountain Institute outlines the potential for minigrid deployment to provide electricity to underserved communities around the world, to the benefit of utility companies, minigrid developers and communities. The report takes examples from Nigeria to illustrate this potential, but states that many of its findings could be applied to communities with limited or no access to electricity around the world.
IRENA sees 20 GW potential for solar in West Africa by 2030
According to the agency, a mimimum of 8 GW of solar will be deployed across the 15 countries that comprise the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) by the end of the next decade. Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire will lead the future growth of PV in the region.
Nigeria’s MBSO launches tender for 100 MW solar park
The project is being developed by independent power producer Alten Africa in Kogi State, in the central region of Nigeria.
Nigeria kicks off 1 GW solar IPP program for rural electrification
Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency is seeking consultants to conduct feasibility studies and develop a masterplan design for the ambitious program, which aims to establish a new energy infrastructure in the state of Jigawa. The program is backed by the African Development Bank.
Africa: UK announces £56 million for battery storage, support for solar
The U.K. Government says it will make £56 million available for battery storage technologies in South Africa. Nigeria also saw the next phase of the U.K.-Nigeria Climate Finance Accelerator unveiled; while the continent as a whole, is set to benefit from further partnerships and investment in both solar and climate change.
Saudi’s Zahid takes major stake in German PV company Greencells
The Zahid Group has invested an undisclosed amount in Germany-based Greencells. A key focus for the latter will now be hybrid systems in the APAC and African regions. An update on the 1.2 GW Sweihan solar project in Abu Dhabi was also given.
