Weekend Read: Cash pours in to rooftop solar
The growth of European rooftop solar continues this year, with innovative companies raising capital to develop the market. It’s an encouraging trend with the potential to accelerate rooftop solar adoption. pv magazine correspondent Valerie Thompson takes a closer look.
Equity investment to back 150 MW of commercial solar in Africa
Norwegian developer Empower New Energy has secured $74 million of mostly public funds from investors and will top it up to build a $100 million, three-year cash pile.
Merger activity heats up in African commercial solar market
Lagos-based Daystar Power is targeting 400 MW of installed generation capacity by 2025, after being acquired by Shell mere days after the Starsight-SolarAfrica merger announcement.
Mobile solar unit to power green hydrogen at platinum mine
A 600 kW, container-based solar array will be used to electrolyze green hydrogen at a mine in Limpopo, South Africa after Engie signed a two-year lease for the mobile system, at Anglo American’s Mogalakwena site.
First African solar project capacity financed under €5m crowdfunding-backed partnership
Swedish platform Trine, which offers people the chance to invest in solar from as little as €25, has announced plans to generate €5 million credit for South African solar leasing partner Solarise Africa.
Peer-to-peer leased solar for African schools
Abe Cambridge, chief executive and founder of solar cell-level, crowdfunding-based PV leasing business The Sun Exchange has spoken to pv magazine about the company’s project pipeline and its focus on bringing affordable clean power to schools.
Solarise Africa raises $10 million to spearhead its clean energy expansion in Africa
Financial solutions company Solarise Africa has raised US$10 million to support its investment in solar PV projects in Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa. The company has also set its sights on more “difficult” territories, like the DR Congo, Chad and Sierra Leone. CEO Jan Albert Valk talked to pv magazine about the company’s plans, and the “overwhelming” need for more renewable energy investment on the African continent.
Switching from ownership to leasing in times of Covid-19
Dutch solar distributor Enie is offering to buy rooftop PV systems from cash-strapped owners who will then receive a monthly leasing fee before regaining ownership of the hardware a decade on. The company will pay around 85% of the initial cost of the arrays but said it will not consider systems with ‘poor’ design or components.
PV relief for sub-Saharan Africa amid Covid-19 pandemic
Solar support is on the way for businesses and communities struggling to cope as the coronavirus outbreak ripples across the continent.
Bangladesh set for largest solar rooftop with industrial leasing deal
Indian company Mahindra Susten will provide engineering, procurement and construction services on a $1.7m, 3.1 MW array for a German-Bangladeshi knitwear company which will buy the power generated for $0.077/kWh.
