Ncondezi Energy secures land for 300 MW solar facility in Mozambique
Ncondezi Energy has secured land for a 300 MW solar-plus-storage project in Mozambique. It has also signed an agreement with India’s Synergy Consulting for support in securing debt financing.
Eritrea to build first utility-scale solar plant
The African Development Fund is helping the Eritrean government to deploy a 30 MW solar facility in Dekemhare, Eritrea. It has launched a tender to seek consultants for the project.
South Africa’s pipeline of unsubsidized PV projects hits 9 GW
The South African government has provided figures on “embedded generation projects” that are currently under development in the country. It also revealed that it will soon launch a tender for big storage projects.
Africa closing in on gigawatt-level solar
Solar installations across Africa hit 949 MW in 2022, bringing cumulative capacity past the 10 GW mark, according to the African Solar Industry Association (AFSIA). While that may seem underwhelming for such a huge region, it shows that countries are taking big steps toward realizing the entire continent’s PV potential.
Will Africa be left behind in the scramble for renewables?
Buoyant predictions about a rosy future for African photovoltaics, based on the continent’s abundant solar resources, continue to overlook the difficulties of securing investment, as Empower New Energy co-founder and CEO Terje Osmundsen explains, referring to a report published by the Africa Solar Industry Association at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi today.
PV-powered heat pump, refrigerator system for off-grid applications
South Africa scientists have developed an integrated, solar-powered heat pump and refrigerator for use by food vendors in sub-Saharan Africa. The dual system is powered by two 90 W solar modules and repurposes waste heat.
Solar-powered water desalination tech for off-grid applications
Berlin-based Boreal Light has developed water desalination tech powered by PV for off-grid applications. The solution uses 460 W solar panels from Chinese module manufacturer DAH Solar and produces clean water from direct seawater at a cost of €0.50 ($0.54)/m3.
Gravity storage system based on linear electric machines
South African scientists have designed a novel gravity energy storage system that uses linear electric motors to vertically move multiple solid masses to store and discharge electrical energy. They say its levelized cost of storage (LCOS) is $137.20/MWh, but with efficiency improvements, it could drop to about $100/MWh
Novel database on existing, planned renewables, solar projects in Africa
A new database developed by researchers in Germany includes 1,074 hydropower projects, 1,128 solar plants, and 276 wind power assets, along with geographic coordinates, construction statuses, and capacities for each of them.
Weekend read: Is EU doing enough?
The European Union has set ambitious targets for solar PV expansion but is Brussels designing the right policies to support growth? Andreas Walstad investigates.
