Subsaharan Africa

Liberia Electricity Corp. (LEC) is seeking consultants to develop a 15 MW/10 MWh solar-plus-storage installation at Roberts International Airport near Monrovia, Liberia’s capital city.

In a new monthly column for pv magazine, SolarPower Europe describes how Mozambique may take full advantage of its huge solar potential by implementing its recently launched Renewable Energy Auctions Programme for large-scale projects, while also pushing for more off-grid renewables in remote areas.

National utility Keny Power is tendering solar microgrids that will be located in Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Tana River, Lamu, Narok, Kilifi, and Kwale.

The Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) has identified the top five solar markets in Africa. Its latest report also looks at the most notable large-scale projects across the continent.

The Nigerian Ministry of Power is accepting bids to build seven off-grid PV projects, along with other installations that will improve access to energy.

A unit of Dubai-based Amea Power will build the project in Blitta prefecture, in the center of the West African country, with all electricity to be sold to Togo Electric Power Co. (CEET) under a long-term power purchase agreement.

The African Development Bank is seeking consultants to explore how two hydropower projects and an associated grid planned in Burundi can incorporate solar power. The addition of photovoltaics is intended to reduce the country’s dependency on hydro, level out generation during dry and wet seasons and mitigate the effect of droughts.

Two PV plants are set to be built under the Project for Promotion of Auctions for Renewable Energies program, being implemented with the support of Mozambican utility Electricidade de Mocambique, which is likely to be the future off-taker of the solar energy generated.

After several year of stalled and failed projects, Zimbabwe’s government is now seeking to implement existing projects, and to get rid of licensed projects that have never been realized. The first attempt will be pushing forward the 100 MW Gwanda solar project, which had been awarded to Intratek in 2015. The government is further planning to grant incentives to rooftop PV under net metering.

Malawian independent power producer Golomoti JCM Solar Corporation Limited is planning a PV plant in Golomoti, 100km south east of Lilongwe. The project will sell power to utility ESCOM under a long-term PPA.