Work begins on 200 MW solar park in Congo
India’s Soleos Energy, in partnership with Melci Holdings, has started building a 200 MW solar park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The project is set for commissioning by late 2026.
Liberia breaks ground on first utility-scale solar plant
Work has begun on a 20 MW solar plant in Liberia, on the site of an existing 88 MW hydropower station. The Liberian government says it is the first of several planned projects that will help to address the country’s power shortages, particularly in the dry season.
Japan’s Toyo plans 2 GW solar cell factory in Ethiopia
Tokyo-based Toyo Co. says it will invest $60 million in a new 2 GW solar cell factory in Ethiopia, to mostly serve the US market.
University of the Western Cape launches 4 MW solar, storage tender
South Africa’s University of the Western Cape (UWC) has opened a 4 MW solar and storage tender, with proposals to include a PV carport system and an online monitoring and management platform. The tender follows a build, operate, and transfer model for up to 20 years.
PV-driven lighting solution for rural areas
Scientists have created a lighting system based on the AEM10941 solar harvester developed by Belgium-based E-peas. The system is reportedly able to provide a full brightness run time of 10 hours.
Duffing oscillator can increase low output voltages in PV systems at dawn, sunset
Scientists have utilized a device based on the Duffing oscillator to solve the problem of PV systems’ low efficiency at low input voltages at dawn and sunset. Its performance was reportedly better than that of a conventional DC-DC boost converter in amplifying weak input voltages.
Africa needs regional strategy for PV manufacturing
A new policy paper from the African Policy Research Institute (APRI) recommends that Africa adopt a regionalized PV strategy to successfully integrate into the global solar value chain. It warns that without a coordinated approach, individual countries are unlikely to integrate into the global market.
Construction begins on South Africa’s first city-run solar plant
The city of Cape Town, South Africa, has started building a 7 MW solar plant that it will own and operate. It has also launched a tender for a 5 MW/8 MWh battery energy storage system to be built at the same site.
The Hydrogen Stream: Infinity sends fuel cell to NASA for lunar testing
Infinity says it has delivered a fuel cell prototype to NASA for ground testing, aimed at demonstrating a regenerative energy storage system for potential lunar applications.
Gambia launches tender for 50 MW solar-plus-storage project
Gambian utility Nawec is seeking proposals for a 50 MW PV facility planned to be deployed in Soma, south of the River Gambia. The project is part of a broader solar project eventually including unspecified battery storage capacity.
