News in Brief: Vivint Solar is taking advantage of Rhode Island's optimal residential solar conditions and expanding into the state, BBOX and Aeris are partnering to provide plug-and-play solar systems with IoT connectivity in East and Central Africa, Sri Lankan energy ministers are allocating funding to install solar systems in selected public buildings and India's Space Research Organisation has developed a new solar app for Android.
The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is continuing its mission of funding priority development projects in emerging economies, this time by signing two grants that leverage US technology and investment to increase access to affordable, reliable electricity in Kenya.
State-run Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is considering opportunities to develop solar PV and help develop policy in various Asian countries, according to a SECI official.
A 50MW grid-tied solar PV plant in Nigeria’s Kaduna state has been selected as one of the winners for financing under Access Power’s Access Co-Development Facility (ACF) fund – the first crowdsourcing origination platform of its kind that provides funding to local developers.
The Kenyan Rural Electrification Authority’s (REA) chairman, Dr. Simon Gicharu, announced this week that the construction on a 55MW solar project in Kenya is set to begin.
Babatunde Fashola, Nigeria’s Minister of Power Works and Housing, has signed off on two put/call option agreements (PCOA) with solar developers Afrinegia Nigeria Limited and CT Cosmos Nigeria Limited.
The theme of this week's Movers & Shakers is international expansion. PAYG off-grid solar provider Azuri Technologies is strengthening its leadership team to target West Africa, while Vancouver, Canada-based Solar Alliance Energy targets US assets and expands its sales team to accommodate for this. ABB appoints new regional heads to ensure direct market contact with Europe and the AMEA region.
