Africa

Firm breaks ground on 148MW plant in former Soviet state, links second 65MW bifacial unit at Benban complex and signs deal for 33MW farm by river Niger.

Pre-selected names including Scatec Solar and Masdar have three months to finalise bids for world’s reported first saltwater floating PV scheme.

Projects were originally to be joint ventures with the government.

Renewable agency MASEN picks consortium for ~US$2.3bn project combining PV, storage and CSP in bid to benefit from ‘spectacular’ PV cost declines.

Monkey Bay Solar project will feature HDPE-based ‘islands’ anchored via underwater cabling some 250 metres off Lake Malawi’s shores, firm tells PV Tech

Government and World Bank hire impact investor Bamboo to run US$17m scheme meant to improve power access in state still reeling from 2010 earthquake.

Ministerial move to allow direct clearing of 1-10MW projects by regulator NERSA will help 1GW pipeline awaiting approval ‘for years’, says PV body SAPVIA.

Fund management firm Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has established a new fund to invest in greenfield renewable energy infrastructure primarily in Asia and Latin America, with expectations of reaching US$1 billion by the final close.

The German Solar Association (BSW-Solar) and the Becquerel Institute have posted a report on the solar markets in 10 African countries at Intersolar Europe, shedding light on what could be a decade headlined by growth across the continent when it comes to the development of PV energy.

Ethiopia’s PPP-DG has decided to scale up Round 2 of its Scaling Solar programme from four to six PV projects.