Africa

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11.17.20 Solar 2

Zimbabwe's Nhimbe Fresh has invested in solar and batteries to keep irrigation pumps and cold-storage systems running during grid blackouts. (Credit: Sun Exchange)

Could Agri-PV Be Africa’s Next Big Solar Market Trend?

“Exponential growth” predicted for solar on farms as growers seek cheaper, more reliable energy.

by Jason Deign

10.27.20 1

Minigrid projects are struggling with regulatory burdens in many countries.

Recovering the Missing Millions Owed to Africa’s Minigrids

Only a tiny percentage of international donor cash is going to projects, and it’s especially bad in Africa.

by Jason Deign

10.16.20 Wind 0

Scatec's Kalkbult solar plant in South Africa. (Credit: Scatec)

Scatec Solar Makes $1.1B Acquisition to Become Global Renewable IPP

Norway’s Scatec has quietly built big momentum in emerging solar markets. After acquiring SN Power, it’s looking at hydro, wind and storage too.

by John Parnell

08.25.20 Grid Edge 1

Power metering and billing are critical to building robust grids in developing countries. (Photo: SparkMeter)

SparkMeter Closes $12M Round to Expand From Metering Minigrids to Analyzing ‘Broken Grids’

With the world electrifying, this startup sees an opportunity to provide data analytics for utilities in places with unreliable power grids.

by Jeff St. John

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06.22.20 Solar 0

Zero-cost C&I solar systems are making up for losses from customers cancelling self-funded projects. (Credit: IBC Solar/Solsquare)

C&I Solar Investment Holds Up as COVID-19 Hits Africa

Investors are aware the cleantech sector offers significant opportunities; the C&I solar market is proving resilient.

by Jason Deign

06.01.20 Grid Edge 9

Emerging markets are taking a more thoughtful approach to electrification planning.

Research Spotlight

Minigrids Are a Missing Piece of the Integrated Electrification Puzzle

Solar home systems are effective for rural households. But for hundreds of millions, minigrids may be lowest-cost path toward electrification.

by Benjamin Attia, Caitlin Connelly, and Isaac Maze-Rothstein

11.04.19 Grid Edge 1

Shell is among a number of energy majors chasing

Shell and Sumitomo Buy 15 Percent Stake in Minigrid Firm PowerGen

Africa-focused PowerGen, a market leader in minigrids, adds to Shell’s expanding investments in off-grid energy access.

by John Parnell

10.09.19 Grid Edge 3

Bright idea: Off-grid companies are moving away from vertically integrated models. (Credit: Bboxx)

4 Reasons Why Off-Grid Energy Is Grown-Up and Ready to Scale

Industry leaders at GTM’s Off-Grid Energy Access Forum on why the stars are aligning for “the next billion” electricity customers.

by John Parnell

09.23.19 Solar 0

Scatec Solar CEO says PV can deliver power at half the price of diesel in Africa.

Scatec Solar Takes Aim at Diesel With PV Leases and Re-Deployable Systems

Emerging markets specialist sees huge opportunity for sub-25 MW solar plants.

by Jason Deign

09.06.19 Solar 7

Africa is by far the largest destination for investment into off-grid energy access. (Credit: BBOXX)

The Land of Opportunity for Off-Grid Solar

Consolidation is picking up in Africa’s off-grid renewables market, where big investors like Engie are betting on the electricity consumers of the future.

by Fatima Sadouki

08.28.19 Solar 2

Here, here and here: Africa is a key market for off-grid solar. (Credit: BBOXX)

BBOXX Lands $50M Led by Mitsubishi to Boost Off-Grid Solar in Africa, Asia

Mitsubishi’s investment into the U.K.-based pay-as-you-go solar provider is another funding milestone for the off-grid market.

by Jeff St. John

06.24.19 Solar 50

Once a hotbed of CSP development, the U.S. market has fallen off a cliff.

Concentrated Solar Power Quietly Makes a Comeback

CSP’s costs are dropping as the market gains steam in the Middle East and China. Can this once-promising technology regain its mojo?

by Jason Deign

06.06.19 Wind Markets & Policy 4

What might help spur more wind development in Africa?

Research Spotlight

Africa’s Wind Project Pipeline Grows to 18GW

There is growing momentum behind the development of long-term incentive mechanisms to support African wind markets.

by Sohaib Malik

05.17.19 Grid Edge 3

Mini-grids and home solar systems can help transform communities detached from the main grid.

Industry Perspective

How Facebook’s Predictive Grid Map Can Identify African Off-Grid Market Opportunities

To bring electricity to the 600 million Africans without it, we must first know where they are. New tools are emerging that will allow developers to more efficiently target opportunities.

by Lucy Shaw and Jake Cusack

02.26.19 Other Energy 10