Solar Energy Archives - AfricaBusiness.com

15Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Interview, Kenya News, Main

Kenya’s Renewable Energy Development Prospects

Exclusive Interview with Dr. Ajay Mathur, Director General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which is one of its one-of-a-kind multilateral organizations established to catalyze global solar growth. Dr. Ajay Mathur reveals the specifics of renewable energy development in Kenya, explains possible prospects, and talks about investment decisions in this area. What investment strategies can Kenya adopt to achieve its ambitious energy goals? Achieving Kenya’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030 relative to business-as-usual levels will require a concerted effort to put its energy sector on a low-carbon trajectory, particularly in light of the country’s economic development goal of attaining middle-income status i...

d.light closes new USD$176 million securitization facility for affordable off-grid solar in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

17Jul

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Kenya News, Tanzania News, Uganda News

d.light closes new USD$176 million securitization facility for affordable off-grid solar in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

Off-grid solar provider d.light and impact investor African Frontier Capital partner on new financing to support consumer loans for solar and high efficiency appliances in East Africa d.light, the global provider of transformational household products and affordable finance for low-income households, today announced the closing of a new securitization facility that will purchase USD$176 million of receivables in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The new financing is being provided by social impact-focused asset management company African Frontier Capital. d.light will use the facility to scale up its PayGo consumer finance offering to make solar-powered products available to more low-income households and communities without access to electricity. The facility is multi-currency and will enabl...

Solar and renewable energy trends in 2023

27Dec

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy

Solar and renewable energy trends in 2023

by Sven Lindström, CEO, Midsummer Industry veteran Sven Lindström, CEO of Swedish solar energy leader Midsummer, has predicted New Year’s energy trends since 2014 – often highly accurately. Again gazing into the crystal ball, this is what he sees as the three strongest trends in renewable energy as we move into 2023: Exactly a year ago, I predicted volatile and rising electricity prices in 2022 – even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - and wind power increasingly moving offshore, among other things. So it is with some confidence I look at 2023 with the following predictions: 1. A boom for solar Admittedly, it has been predicted before, but with the EU now throwing the kitchen sink and everything in between to rapidly reach energy independence and a fossil-free future the ...

15Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News, Tech

Vote for Stellenbosch’s Smartest City Solutions: Finalists announced in Stellenbosch Network’s second annual #IdeasForChange Challenge

For the past few weeks, Stellenbosch’s best and brightest minds have been pitching their novel ideas to turn Stellenbosch into a 'Smarter City' as part of the second annual #IdeasForChange Challenge. After much deliberation, the judges have announced their top three finalists who will now be entered into a poll on social media and vie for the chance to win the R20,000 grand prize and be named this years’ winner. Organised by Stellenbosch Network – and sponsored by Stellenbosch University and the SU Launchlab – the competition seeks to uncover creative, innovative and scalable ideas to improve municipal decision-making and the quality of life of citizens across a range of services and sectors. Says Stellenbosch Network Operations Manager and organiser of this years’ Challenge, Hanli Brink...

4Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, Agriculture, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya News, Uganda News

African climate innovators dominate global climate prize at COP26

Four African climate innovators were named as winners at 2021's presigious Ashden Awards held on November 4 at the global climate summit COP26 in Glasgow, UK. Three more of the continent’s low carbon pioneers were announced as runners up. The Ashden Awards honour pioneering organisations from the UK and low-income countries lowering carbon emissions and building a fairer world. World leaders and international organisations are gathering in Glasgow from November 1 to 13 to agree a global plan for tackling the climate crisis. The key note speech at the awards ceremony was given by Costa Rican President, Carlos Alvarado, who said: “We share the conviction that sustainable development goes hand in hand with economic growth, as well as a deep commitment to decarbonization and to promote nat...

17Oct

By Nicolas MathonNo Comments

Energy, Nigeria News

Resilience is the mother of all virtues… and the key to unlocking successful independent power projects in Nigeria

By Nicolas Mathon, Director, Project Development, Africa and Europe, Wärtsilä Energy The successful completion of the Azura Edo 450 MW gas-fired power project in 2016 was hailed at the time as setting the blueprint for future independent power projects in Nigeria. The $900 million plant, which gathered 20 international banks and equity financing partners from more than nine countries, took over six years of project development and construction. It was intended to provide a pathway for others to enter into similar agreements and unlock financing for power sector investment. But five years on, no new independent power projects have come to fruition. Today, grid generating potential is just over 12 GW in Nigeria. More than 40% of the population lack access to electricity, and those with ...

Zimbabwe’s Largest Tea Producer Implements Microgrid from DHYBRID and Blockpower

1Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Green Energy, Zimbabwe News

Zimbabwe’s Largest Tea Producer Implements Microgrid from DHYBRID and Blockpower

Project to be showcased at EM-Power in Munich, Germany, October 6-8, 2021 Tanganda Tea Company Limited, Zimbabwe's largest tea producer and one of the largest on the African continent, uses its own microgrids at Tingamira and Jersey sites for secure and environmentally friendly energy supply since July 2021. The system consists of a megawatt-class solar plant, a lithium-ion energy storage system, and three diesel generators. It was implemented by DHYBRID and its partner, South African renewable energy specialists Blockpower. In addition to tea and coffee, avocados, and macadamia nuts are grown on site. "Sustainable production across the value chain is becoming increasingly important for companies like Tanganda. This includes a climate-friendly and reliable energy supply. Solar hybr...

Dispatchable Renewable Energy: An Answer to Load Shedding

22Sep

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Green Energy, South Africa News

Dispatchable Renewable Energy: An Answer to Load Shedding

In 2020, South Africans experienced the most intensive load shedding to date. These crippling power cuts, which amounted to a staggering 856 hours, almost 10% of available hours, cost the economy billions of Rands. Poor performance at several power stations, including Kusile and Tutuka, resulted in a rapid depletion of Eskom’s emergency generation reserves. Furthermore, South Africa’s overall capacity to produce energy has plummeted by nearly 10% over the past decade and there are predictions of a shortfall of up to 6 000 megawatts over the next five years. To address this, government’s progressive stance towards renewables, as outlined in the 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) commits to a shift away from coal towards renewables, with a planned 25% of all power being drawn from rene...

3Aug

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Tunisia News

Tunisia welcomes the 13th edition of Africa PPP virtually, on 1-2 December 2021

Tunisia is the host country of the 13th Africa Public Private Partnership Virtual Conference that will take place on 1-2 December 2021 under the virtual format. This edition will be bilingual in English and French, and this year it includes an additional training-day on the 3rd of December. The Tunisian Government welcomes the virtual event in 2021 and the live edition in 2022 as lead project the North African region. The event will take a real time snapshot of the current PPP environment in Africa, focusing on viable avenues to accelerate PPP prioritisation, highlighting case studies in Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria spread across solar & wind renewable energy, maritime and industrial ports. Africa PPP 2021 will meet up with the community in December at a key stage of PPP scali...

24Jun

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Energy, Green Energy

New thermal battery and solar tech help mining companies get rid of diesel

247Solar launches HeatStorE™, a long duration thermal battery made for adding more renewables to remote mining operations, industrial and grid solutions than is feasible with conventional batteries Great Falls, VA, USA, June 24th, 2021 – A robust new battery from 247Solar Inc., a spinoff of MIT, operates almost like an electrochemical battery but has significant advantages at longer durations. The basic principle of the thermal battery is rather simple. Electric resistance coils heat an inexpensive thermal storage medium (silica sand) using low-cost excess electricity, e.g., from intermittent solar and wind power sources. Energy is stored as ultra-high temperature heat (up to 1000℃/1850℉) – at a fraction of the cost of batteries. Whenever needed, a specialized turbine reconverts the heat t...