Africa & Middle East

Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and a Saudi Arabian prince are among the names signed up to support the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, an initiative launched as COP21 climate talks begin today in Paris.

Indian prime minister and French president Francois Hollande will jointly launch the International Solar Alliance (ISA) at the COP21 climate conference in Paris today.

Leading CIS thin-film producer Solar Frontier is building a 5MW power plant with TSK in Kuwait as part of a benchmarking project with c-Si technology for the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR).

Dubai has launched an ambitious new energy strategy, which includes a provision to make rooftop solar mandatory from 2030.

Saudi-owned Spanish firm Fotowatio Renewable Ventures has signed an agreement with Jordan’s utility company to build a 50MW PV power plant in the country.

KRAFTWERK Renewable Power Solutions will open an office in Egypt after securing the development contract for a 50MW plant in the country.

Renewables with energy storage can help build low carbon energy networks in the developing world – but the twin technologies still face competition from natural gas while they gradually mature, according to an electric power systems maker and integrator.

Bosses of companies including HSBC Holdings, Microsoft, Nestlé, Dow Chemical Company have signed an open letter urging for action on climate change.

Investment in clean energy surged in emerging economies during 2014, the Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) Climatescope report has found.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) are seeking applications to fund renewable energy projects in developing countries through concessionary loans.