Africa

Zambia-based GreenCo Power is seeking independent power producers for the construction of a solar park with a capacity of up to 40 MW in the sub-Saharan country. The pilot project will be the first in taking advantage of new rules that liberalized the Zambian energy market by enabling bilateral power purchase agreements.

The Golomoti solar plant is expected to come online in 2022. The plant will be used to provide grid stability and reduce national dependence on diesel generators and hydroelectric generation.

KTDA Power Company is seeking developers for up to ten small-sized solar parks. The facilities are expected to have a capacity of between 300 kW and 1 MW.

Researchers at the European Commission’s Joint Research Center have assessed the potential of installing floating solar plants on 146 hydropower reservoirs in Africa. They concluded that, in addition to increasing installed capacity, the plants also reduce water evaporation, allowing for increased annual hydropower production.

Kenyan utility KPLC wants to retrofit 23 diesel mini-grids by adding wind and solar power generators. PV is the only option available for 21 of the selected sites.

Canada-based Giyani Metals is planning to build a solar plant for its manganese mining site in Botswana. Three kinds of projects, with capacities ranging from 14 to 60 MW, are being considered. The power generated by the facility may be either consumed entirely by the mine or also sold to the grid under different scenarios.

Researchers led by Oxford University have put together a comprehensive forecast of energy developments across the African continent up to 2030. Based on analysis of data on more than 3,000 power plant projects across 54 countries, the report predicts a doubling of generation capacity in Africa over the next decade, with fossil fuel projects to represent 60% of the total. Based on this, the authors warn of the need for both the public and private sectors to change to tack to avoid a missed opportunity for renewable energy.

Gambia’s national utility is seeking proposals for an energy and water audit of its water operations. Selected consultants will assess the possibility of using solar to improve energy efficiency. The utility will consider floating PV, rooftop arrays, and solar pumps.

The Senegalese Rural Electrification Agency (ASER) is seeking bids for the construction of 133 mini solar power plants across 177 rural villages.

The French company will work with Angolan developer Greentech. According to Total, the solar project is in line with Angola’s plan to encourage foreign investment and promote renewable energy sources, with the goal of reaching an installed capacity of 800 MW in the country by 2025.