Funding round opens for off-grid solar across West Africa
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is offering grants from $10,000 to $250,000 in the second funding round of the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP) to develop off-grid solar in 13 West African and sub-Saharan African countries. The application deadline is June 23.
Amea Power switches on 26.6 MW solar farm in Burkina Faso
Amea Power has connected the Zina solar plant to the grid in Burkina Faso, to power the Mana gold mine in Mouhoun province.
Angola inaugurates 25.3 MW solar park
The Angolan authorities have inaugurated a 25.3 MW solar park built by Portugal’s MCA and Sun Africa. The project is the fourth of seven installations that are being built for the Angolan government, with a combined capacity of 370 MW.
Mali to build 200 MW of solar with Russian support
The authorities in Mali have revealed plans to build a 200 MW solar plant with backing from Russia.
Novel attempt to design solar cell based on chalcogenide perovskite delivers 13.86% efficiency
Scientists in South Africa have proposed a new chalcogenide perovskite solar cell design based on a compound known as barium zirconium sulfide. They tested different hole transport materials in the new device and found that a polymer known as P3HT achieved the best performance.
Scientists claim PV systems combined with thermoelectric cooling may achieve 6-year payback time
Scientists in South Africa have modeled a photovoltaic system connected to a thermoelectric cooling device and have found it may produce around 9.2% more electricity than conventional PV system without cooling. The research team claims the proposed system guarantees a minimum cost saving of 10.56%.
Lead-free inverted perovskite solar cells without transparent conducting oxides may achieve 30% efficiency
Researchers in Nigeria have proposed to build inverted perovskite solar cells exclusively with all-inorganic transport materials and a lead-free perovksite absorber. Through a series of simulations, they showed these device may achieve efficiencies over 30% with low production costs.
Tender opens for 15 MW ground-mounted solar plant in Uganda
Companies interested in a new engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for a 15 MW ground-mounted solar plant in western Uganda must request prequalification questionnaires from TotalEnergies Uganda by June 7.
Desert-to-Power initiative seeking consultants for 10 GW of solar
The African Development Bank has asked financial management specialists to submit expressions of interest for two parts of its Desert-to-Power initiative, which aims to deploy 10 GW of solar by 2030 in the Sahel region.
Nigeria to deploy 250 MW of distributed solar
Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency is partnering with Husk Power Systems for interconnected minigrids and isolated minigrids, rooftop commercial and industrial (C&I) solar, productive use of energy (PUE) initiatives, appliance sales, and financing.
