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.
Powerchina switches on 100 MW solar tower in South Africa
Powerchina has switched on a 100 MW solar tower in South Africa. The concentrated solar power (CSP) project will supply 480 GWh of clean energy to the country’s power grid each year. The system’s molten salt storage enables 12 hours of full-load operation.
Cape Verde inaugurates largest solar plant
Cape Verde has inaugurated a 5 MW solar array on Sal Island – its largest PV plant to date, according to the Ministry of Energy and Commerce.
The Hydrogen Stream: Ballard restructures, Forvia supplies hydrogen tanks
Ballard Power Systems says it has started restructuring its global operations to cut costs due to slower hydrogen infrastructure development and delayed fuel cell adoption.
European Investment Bank invests in solar, wind in South Africa
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) are each investing €100 million ($110.8 million) in small- and medium-scale solar and onshore wind projects in South Africa. Together, they have now committed €600 million under South Africa’s Embedded Generation Investment Programme (EGIP).
Using surplus PV power for seasonal underground thermal storage
Scientists have proposed a new system that uses surplus PV energy in the spring and the autumn to charge up underground thermal energy storage for later use in the summer and winter. They have simulated it on a school facility in Seoul, with a few optional configurations for thermal storage. Power savings were up to 39%.
Optimizing bifacial solar panels for floating PV applications in tropical freshwater
New research from India shows how bifacial solar modules should be deployed to achieve strong performance in floating PV projects planned on tropical freshwater. Their experimental setup demonstrated that higher efficiency gains are achievable by gauging panel height, water depth, and tilt angle.
Botswana launches tender for feasibility study on floating solar at dams
Botswana’s Water Utilities Corp. (WUC) is seeking a company to conduct an assessment and technical feasibility study for the implementation of floating solar projects at dams throughout the country. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 3.
Namibian utility secures financing for 100 MW of solar
Namibia Power Corp. (NamPower) has secured a loan from German state-owned development bank KfW to expand the planned Rosh Pinah project in Namibia from 70 MW to 100 MW. The NAD 1.3 billion ($72.6 million) loan will cover 80% of the solar project’s costs.
Citroën lightweight compact EV equipped with solar kits
La Croisière Verte is the name of a 13,500 km expedition from the north to south of Africa in a fleet of four Citroën AMI vehicles, each carrying 5,600 W of lightweight PV panels in foldable packs.
