Zinc miner goes solar as African Development Bank pushes off-grid finance
A business based at a Namibian mine has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement which will back the construction of a 5.4MW solar project. Elsewhere, the AfDB wants to roll-out solar panels to provide electricity access to six million people across six nations over the next six years.
Mobile solar pump for remote areas
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar have developed a solar power system that can be easily moved between farms to pump water for irrigation. The kit comprises solar panels and an inverter to power a surface-mounted pump.
Tapping the offgrid solar market in India
Ashutosh Verma, the founder of solar appliance manufacturer Exalta India, says that the key to expanding the uptake of solar products in rural parts of India lies in improving access to finance.
Offgrid solar generators for RVs, camping
Jackery displayed its latest portable solar generators at the recent Quartzsite RV Show, which is the world’s largest event for recreational vehicle enthusiasts.
Bboxx secures funds for 90,000 solar home systems in Kenya
The off-grid solar supplier said the fact its latest finance package is denominated in local currency will help encourage African commercial banks to be more ready to back PV.
RTI International seeks developers for three solar mini grids in Uganda
The U.S.-based non-profit organization is supporting the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the development of the three mini grids. The incentives for the projects will be provided in the form of grants.
Solar bakery as a containerized solution
The 52 kW containerized solution is being developed by German start-up Solarbakery. The bakery’s production process was adapted in such a way that the majority of electricity consumption is already incurred during the day and is only baked briefly in the dark before dawn.
Rwanda seeks consultants to support development of mini-grids
The Development Bank of Rwanda wants to finance developers to build photovoltaic and mini-grids ranging in size from 10 kW to 1 MW.
Solar job numbers kept on rising in 2020
The latest edition of a clean power jobs survey produced by IRENA and the International Labour Organization has stressed the important role which will need to be played by the public sector if the energy transition’s employment benefits are to be shared equally.
Retractable PV awning for recreational vehicles
The 1.2 kW solar awning can be retracted automatically in the event of adverse weather conditions. The patented technology, developed by Xponent Power, may enable a wide range of additional applications such as for use by the military, for emergency relief, and residential power.
