Norwegian renewables company moves on South African peer
Magnora will almost double its clean power portfolio in South Africa with the acquisition of a 92% stake in African Green Ventures. With the latter’s management team to hold the remaining shares in the business, Magnora has not revealed how much the acquisition will cost nor how the deal will be structured.
The Hydrogen Stream: Offshore green hydrogen project in the Dutch North Sea
As research into non-rare metal catalysts continues, companies in northwest Europe are working on an offshore green hydrogen demonstration project, the first European data center to run on green hydrogen, and on hydrogen-based solutions for container transport. Meanwhile, European institutions are prepping for stronger hydrogen collaboration with Africa.
Nigerian mini-grid program appears to have been scaled back
An initial intent to commission 28 local solar-plus-storage networks has now been stated as comprising “around 20” mini-grids, with delivery expected this year, rather than by the middle of the year.
Rising electricity bills in Nigeria drive demand for solar
Commercial and industrial PV installer Starsight Energy says business is on the up thanks to rising wholesale energy costs in the country.
European funds back 40MW Kenyan solar field
The $87 million Kesses solar project, in Kenya’s Rift Valley town of Eldoret, is set for completion by Spanish developer Alten this year.
Net metering would offer a solar rooftop alternative to uneconomic Kenyan utilities
Commercial and industrial clients across the continent are turning to solar amid fears ever more cash-strapped conventional electricity companies will be unable to invest in their creaking grids, an online event has heard.
Work begins on 50 MW solar park in Malawi
The Bwengu Solar PV Power Plant will spread over 105 hectares of land and is expected to be built at a cost of $65 million within 12 months. The facility will be located in Ulalo Nyirenda village, which is just 1 km from the Bwengu Escome Substation power grid.
Botswana-Namibia green hydrogen project expands to 5GW
The raised ambition of an already huge renewables-powered hydrogen project in the Southern African nations vividly demonstrates the hydrogen and clean energy potential of a continent which accounted for just 0.5% of the world’s new solar capacity last year, according to trade body AFSIA’s annual report.
GCL wants note holders to back switch to gas-fired hydrogen
The Chinese solar developer, which has sold off four-fifths of its PV project capacity to state-owned entities, wants the permission of the holders of $420 million of 2024 senior notes to change the terms of their investment so it can buy Ethiopian natural gas from a connected business.
Frans Timmermans: ‘In some places in Africa gas will be part of the energy mix and that is also part of the transition’
A speech delivered by the European Commission’s executive VP for the European Green Deal reiterated the EU executive’s belief natural gas will play a part in the energy transition, 24 hours before a member of an advisory panel hit out at plans to deem gas and nuclear sustainable energy sources.
