Sub-Saharan Africa

Colorado-based mini-grid specialist Husk Power has secured more than US$100 million in equity and debt funding aimed to grow its community solar mini-grids in rural sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

As Europe is increasing its solar PV capacity to reach its goal in the REPowerEU plan, countries in the bloc are accelerating solar PV installation. But some EU countries also look at the solar potential in North Africa, as the region boasts better solar irradiance and longer sunshine hours.

The Democratic Republic of Congo's energy company Nuru has secured US$40 million for the construction of 13.7 MWp.

Cloud-based software company Salesforce has committed to purchasing 280,000MWh of renewable energy certificates in emerging markets.

The drive to electrify Sub-Saharan Africa will require US$350 billion of investment and could reveal an alternative vision for the energy transition that focuses on a decentralised, bottom-up solar-and-storage rich grid that takes advantage of cheap solar power, according to research firm Wood Mackenzie.

Access to off-grid electricity should be seen as a key mechanism to drive rural development and improve economic wellbeing and living standards in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), according to a new report by University College London’s (UCL) Engineering for International Development Centre and off-grid, pay-as-you go solar company BBOXX.

Q CELLS has secured a deal to supply its modules to part of a 370MW portfolio of seven solar projects under development in Angola, the first of which is expected to be complete next year.