africa renewable energy Archives

15Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy

Africa’s renewable resources can transform domestic and global energy supply, says investment bank

The continent represents a largely untapped white space, restricted by energy poverty and a lack of infrastructure The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates $110 billion will be invested in energy across Africa in 2024, as global players leverage the continent’s potential for solar, wind and natural gas production. Continued growth is dependent on significant investment, targeted at improving African energy infrastructure and human skill sets to support the global energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables. According to Risana Zitha, Managing Director and Head of Africa at investment bank DAI Magister, emerging technologies, falling costs and digitalisation are paving the way to a profitable renewable business case across Africa. However, to successfully leverage this pote...

30Jul

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy

Global African Hydrogen Summit Channelling Capital Towards Critical Sectors For Sustainable Development

With more than 600 million people across Africa lacking access to electricity, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that Africa will need to double its electricity generation capacity by 2040 to meet growing demand. The African continent has been identified as a prime source for renewable energy exports to regions seeking to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and meet net-zero targets. Most development banks, bilateral aid, export credit agencies, and development finance institutions have a clear mandate to facilitate the energy transition. Many of these institutions offer preferable terms to projects that help achieve net-zero targets. Additionally, numerous climate investment funds and venture capital funds are dedicated to green energy investments, including throughout the deve...

We need to solve the complex equation of energy transition and grid reliability, says Wärtsilä

23Apr

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Morocco News

We need to solve the complex equation of energy transition and grid reliability, says Wärtsilä

Behind the necessary ramp-up of renewable energies, the challenge of integrating them into the power grid occupied centre stage at the North & West Africa Energy Transition Forum. According to Wärtsilä Energy, a leading power plant manufacturer and energy systems integrator in Africa, there are multiple constraints to be taken into account in order to increase the share of renewables while guaranteeing more reliable power production. To solve this complex equation, the issues of making the energy system more flexible, anticipating technological developments, and financing must be addressed effectively. These were the key issues discussed at the 2024 North and West Africa Energy Transition Forum in Rabat, which brought together the major public and private players in the energy sector ...

19Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, South Africa News

Crisis to Empowerment: Navigating Climate Challenges with Sustainable Energy Solutions

The world is witnessing unprecedented changes in its climate, with extreme weather events becoming more frequent and intense. Recently, there was unprecedented flooding in New York city, with floodwaters rising to a staggering 1 metre above street level. This calamity closely followed the devastating storms and floods in the Western Cape on the weekend of 23rd Sept, which BBC recently reported claimed 11 lives and destroyed multiple bridges and roads. In April last year, flooding in Durban was termed “the most catastrophic natural disaster yet recorded in KwaZulu-Natal”. Such events are not isolated incidents but indicators of a larger, more pressing issue – the climate crisis. Add to this the wildfires that have been ravaging the planet, more recently in Canada and previously in Australia...

27Jun

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy

Africa: With increased power must come increased storage capacity

By Kieran Whyte, Partner, Head of the Energy. Mining & Infrastructure Industry Group, Baker McKenzie Johannesburg The increased generation of renewable power requires increased energy storage capacity. According to Baker McKenzie's Report - Battery Storage: A Global Enabler of the Energy Transition, lithium-ion batteries take up the majority of new energy storage capacity, both installed and under construction, with older battery technologies being replaced or retained only for smaller projects. However, with costs declining, private investors are entering the market and bringing new business models to commercialize the technologies. Governments of countries with a high share of renewable energy, or looking to facilitate development of the same, have seen the need to support energy st...

Accelerating the deployment of renewable energy will save West African countries hundreds of millions of dollars by the end of decade, says Wärtsilä

9Jun

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Guinea News, Mauritania, Senegal News

Accelerating the deployment of renewable energy will save West African countries hundreds of millions of dollars by the end of decade, says Wärtsilä

A strategy shift in favour of renewables will bring significant economic advantages as power systems are expanded. Speaking last week at the West Africa Energy Transition Forum in Dakar in the presence of key energy decision-makers, experts from Wärtsilä shared insights on the impact renewables will have on power system cost, flexibility, and stability in West Africa. They presented the results of their latest study which investigates Senegal’s optimal power system expansion. The study revealed that speeding up the deployment of renewable energy beyond what is currently planned will lead to a staggering $700 Millions of savings until 2035, primarily because of the massive decrease in fuel costs that it will generate. Significant cost savings are also expected in other West African countri...

Unlocking the potential of Africa: The Neutrino Energy Group’s Pursuit of Strategic Partnerships

22Apr

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy

Unlocking the potential of Africa: The Neutrino Energy Group’s Pursuit of Strategic Partnerships

The Neutrino Energy Group is revolutionizing energy production with groundbreaking technologies and strategic partnerships In recent years, there has been a surge in the demand for sustainable energy solutions as the world grapples with growing environmental challenges and an increasing global population. Neutrino energy has emerged as a potentially limitless source of clean, renewable power, with the Neutrino Energy Group leading the charge in developing innovative technology to harness this energy. The company is now entering a phase of seeking partners on the political level, focusing on the integration of their cutting-edge technology with existing energy infrastructure. Quantum Technology and AI: Accelerating Neutrino Energy Research The Neutrino Energy Group's research and develop...

Wärtsilä’s power engines successfully runs on 25 vol% hydrogen blend, a world first

29Mar

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy

Wärtsilä’s power engines successfully runs on 25 vol% hydrogen blend, a world first

They ability of engine power plants to run on green hydrogen fuel rather than gas or heavy fuel oil will be a key enabler of Africa’s renewable energy ambitions. The technology group Wärtsilä and WEC Energy Group have successfully tested the capabilities of a Wärtsilä engine running on 25 vol% hydrogen-blended fuel. The tests, which were completed in October 2022, were conducted at WEC Energy Group’s 55 MW A.J. Mihm power plant in Michigan, USA using an unmodified Wärtsilä 50SG engine. Throughout the testing period, the Wärtsilä engine continued to supply power to the grid. This is the largest commercially operated flexible balancing engine ever to run on a hydrogen fuel blend, representing therefore a world-first achievement. EPRI also participated in the tests and led the assessment of...

1Dec

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, South Africa News

South Africa: The latest developments in Just Energy Transition

Kieran Whyte, Partner and Head of the Energy. Mining & Infrastructure Group, Baker McKenzie, Johannesburg During the World Leaders' Summit at COP 27 in November 2022, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the new Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET IP) for South Africa. It was at COP 26 in November 2021, that it was first announced that the governments of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union had pledged USD 8.5 billion in first round financing to assist South Africa with energy transition projects as part of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) between the countries. In October 2022, the South African cabinet approved a five-year investment plan for the USD 8.5 billion package. The Just Energy Transition Investment ...

Africa to receive significant funding for the development of decentralized energy

17Nov

By Neutrino EnergyNo Comments

Energy

Africa to receive significant funding for the development of decentralized energy

The majority of Africans lack access to modern conveniences like electricity. Thankfully, the "The We Give Light" foundation plans to donate 1 billion euros to the development of decentralized energy in Africa in order to provide the continent with renewable, decentralized, climate-friendly energy. These distributed energy systems are scheduled for development between 2023 and 2026. The money will go toward installing renewable energy systems that provide power to over hundreds of thousands of people and prevent the release of tons of carbon dioxide annually. The focus will be on renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and neutrinovoltaics. An advisory board will weigh the options and make recommendations. Due to the continent's massive population, distributed power generation and dist...