Nigeria kicks off 1 GW solar IPP program for rural electrification
Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency is seeking consultants to conduct feasibility studies and develop a masterplan design for the ambitious program, which aims to establish a new energy infrastructure in the state of Jigawa. The program is backed by the African Development Bank.
Cryptocurrency to accelerate solar minigrid rollout in Africa
South Africa-based Sun Exchange and U.S. minigrid developer, Powerhive have come together to step up minigrid deployment in rural Kenya by leveraging the crypto economy. The partnership is expected to catalyze up to $23 million of capital and fund around 150 new projects in the country’s power hungry areas.
Chad unveils plans for giant solar park
The project, the capacity of which could range between 200-400 MW, is being planned by Dubai-based Almaden Emirates Fortune Power LLC, a joint venture of holding investment company, Emirates Fortune Group and Chinese solar manufacturer, Almaden. If built, the facility will more than double the country’s current power generation capacity, and help reduce energy poverty.
Madagascar sees its first solar park come online
The 20 MW facility will sell power to Madagascar’s state-owned utility, Jirama under a long-term PPA. Construction on the plant started in late 2016.
Swaziland issues tender for its first solar park
The Lavumisa 10 MW Solar PV Plant be located in the homonymous area in the southeastern part of Swaziland. The Swaziland Electricity Company (SEC) intends to develop the plant on two phases of 5 MW each.
Ivory Coast moves forward with first solar park
The 25 MW project is planned for the town of Benguébougou, in the Korhogo department, in the north of the west African nation.
Angola plans to join Scaling Solar program
The Angolan government has invited representatives of the World Bank, which runs the program, to discuss ways of increasing the share of solar energy in the African country in the period up to 2022. Several sites for the construction of solar parks have already been identified.
Guinea Bissau plans its first big solar-plus-storage project
A solar power plant with a capacity of between 20 and 30 MW is currently being planned with the support of the World Bank, which is now seeking consultants to carry out a feasibility study for the project.
France’s Orange enters African off-grid solar market
The French multinational telecommunications corporation has announced a plan to begin providing off-grid solar solutions to Burkina Faso and, at a later stage, in Senegal, Mali, Guinea, and the Ivory Coast.
Somalia lays ground for solar development
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Somalia has issued a Request for Proposals for the financing of a skills development program in the solar energy sector in Mogadishu, Kismayo and Baidoa.
