Page 32 - Energize October 2021

TECHNICAL

Power developments in Africa

Compiled by Roger Lilley, Now Media

Company celebrates a new power plant order Solar power for commercial and
industrial companies
Wärtsilä recently supplied cement maker Lafarge with another 100 MW power plant located in
Mfamosing, Nigeria. With a total of 200 MW of generating capacity to the same customer, the Eiffel Investment Group is providing a
company has established a high level of trust which validates the efficiency of the company’s €3 million bridge loan to ManoCap Energy,
flexible and reliable technology. Since 2010, the company has enjoyed a strong presence in which has offices in Freetown (Sierra Leone)
Nigeria with a total installed capacity of 667 MW. The company locally employs approximately and Accra (Ghana), for the provision of
90 people. In Africa, the company has an installed footprint of more than 7000 MW. solar power to commercial and industrial
customers in the two countries. The company
To receive fresh water from Government set to increase finances and manages clean energy systems
solar power electricity access for clients in sub-Saharan Africa. Its projects
range in size from 150 kW to 10 MW and
rely on clean energy technologies as well as
US company Sun Africa is to provide drinking The Angolan government wants to reduce generators and batteries when needed. Eiffel
water and install solar power systems in the gap in access to electricity between plans to provide long-term financing after
several localities in southern Angola. the north and south of the country. As the projects in ManoCap Energy’s current
The project will be implemented in part of the first phase of the Energy portfolio are commissioned.
partnership with the American company Sector Efficiency and Expansion Program
Africa Global Shaffer. Sun Africa plans to raise (ESEEP), the Angolan government has
the US$1,5-billion necessary for its project obtained a loan of US$530-million from Government aims for 60%
from the US Export Credit Agency. Part of the the African Development Bank (AfDB) renewable energy generation
money will be used for electrification. Sun to strengthen and extend its electricity
Africa and its partner, Africa Global Shaffer, transmission system to supply power The Kenyan government has sought to
plan to achieve electrification via solar from its hydroelectric generating plants in expand renewable energy generation in its
photovoltaic energy. The two companies the north of the country, to the south of overall power development plan for the
already expect the project to last two years. the country. period between 2017 and 2037. It projects
that, by 2037, renewable energy sources
will provide over 60% of the country’s
Supporting investment in generation, transmission and distribution installed power capacity. New authorities
of electricity to regulate the production, conversion,
distribution, supply, marketing and use of
The German government will contribute €100-million to the African Development Bank’s renewables have also been established, and
Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) to help tap Africa’s renewable energy potential and incentives for renewable energy generation
drive its transition to clean energy sources. The announcement came during the recently held have been employed. These include certain
United Nations High-Level Dialogue on Energy. The funding will be used to unlock private sector stamp duty exemptions, tax benefits,
investment in green-baseload projects, a SEFA priority focus. Specifically, it will support technical and the development of public-private
assistance and investment in power generation, transmission and distribution to increase the partnerships between the government and
penetration of renewable power in African grids. renewables companies.

Large investment in solar To attract investment for large- Use of off-grid solar home
mini-grids scale infrastructure projects systems accelerates

NEoT Offgrid Africa (NOA) and Winch As is the case with many African countries, All On, an impact investment company set
Energy Limited have invested around Ghana is working to diversify its economy up by the Shell Foundation and supported
$12 million in solar-powered mini-grid and highlight its potential as an attractive by several financial partners, is investing
projects in Uganda and Sierra Leone, investment destination ahead of the global US$2-million in Nigeria’s Infibranches
contributing to their global ambition to economic recovery. Consultancy firm Technologies to increase access to electricity
build the largest portfolio of mini-grids in Oxford Business Group reports that Ghana in the country. Off-grid, solar home systems
Sub-Saharan Africa. Forty-nine villages in has enacted new laws and overhauled are widely used for rural electrification in
Sierra Leone and Uganda will be equipped others to spearhead efforts to enhance Nigeria. To accelerate the deployment of
with off-grid and remotely controllable the country’s investment environment and these solutions, providers are focusing on
solar solutions which will supply power to improve the ease of doing business in the small-dollar payments, facilitated by mobile
nearly 60 000 people. In a second phase, country. The Public Private Partnership money. The system facilitates the collection
6000 portable batteries will be deployed in Act, 2020, aims to encourage firms to team of payments through a network of agents,
these villages to serve people who live too up with the government for its large-scale including banks and cell phone agents across
far from the power unit. infrastructure projects. the payments value chain.

energize | October 2021 | 30