africa

With the sixth auction round of South Africa’s REIPPP on the horizon and new opportunities for distributed PV opening up, Alice Grundy explores the remaining barriers to solar deployment in the country.

Liam Stoker reports from the halls of COP26, where the likes of US energy secretary Jennifer Granholm and highlighted the need for an all-encompassing but just and equitable energy transition, and explores the role for solar PV.

With inaccurate irradiation data potentially impacting profitability estimates of PV projects in Africa, calls have been made for solar players to invest in more accurate measurement tools and work together to support the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector’s growth.

Unreliable methods of calculating irradiation in Africa could slash energy savings for commercial and industrial (C&I) solar buyers and reduce investment returns for developers and investors, new research has suggested.

Berkeley Energy has raised €130 million in the first close of the Africa Renewable Energy Fund II

Mozambique-based coal operator Ncondezi Energy has announced a joint venture (JV) with South African-based NESA to target South Africa’s C&I solar and storage markets.

Independent energy trader BB Energy (BBE) has set its sights on Africa’s solar and storage market by acquiring Solarcentury’s Africa-facing division for an undisclosed sum.

Hydropower plants across Africa could double their capacity if just 1% of their reservoirs are used to install floating solar projects, new research suggests.

West African off-grid solar electricity supplier raises US$38 million to expand its operations in in Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Togo.

The amount of non-hydro renewables such as solar in Africa is likely to remain below 10% in 2030, although there are significant regional differences.