BLK1 has increased the size of its local currency receivable financing facility for d.light’s Kenyan business to USD 127 million with an additional USD 15 million of senior debt from Norfund. The expansion sees Norfund join DFC as a senior lender in the BLK1 structure, which is a local currency impact financing vehicle dedicated to providing d.light’s Kenyan PAYGO SHS business with access to on-going, flexible and sustainable receivables funding.

21 January 2021: Solar Frontier Capital Limited (SFC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of African Frontier Capital (Mauritius) LLC (AFC), d.light design Inc. (d.light), a leading global innovator of solar energy products and Norfund, the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries, have jointly announced the expansion of Brighter Life Kenya 1 Limited (BLK1). The expansion sees Norfund join the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), who acted as the original cornerstone senior lender, in the structure as a co-senior lender.

BLK1 is an off-balance sheet financing vehicle that is dedicated to acquiring pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) Solar Home System (SHS) accounts receivables from d.light’s Kenyan subsidiary, d.light Limited (d.light Kenya). It has been set up to provide the company with flexible, working capital to finance its continued growth.

BLK1 has been structured to provide d.light Kenya with local currency financing (up to the Kenyan Shillings equivalent of ca. USD 127 million in face value of receivables purchased2) over a two year commitment period and is intended as the first in a series of vehicles designed to provide d.light with continuing access to sustainable and affordable local currency receivable financing.

Part of BLK1 is being financed by a senior debt facility with USD 20 million of commitments from DFC and USD 15 million from Norfund3. SFC acts as the subordinated lender and the master servicer under the transaction and, more generally, as sponsor of the structure.

26 January 2021: A new report from Efficiency for Access shows promising improvements in the performance and cost of off-grid appropriate appliances, particularly televisions and fans.

The 2021 Appliance Data Trends report finds near-to-market products are significantly more energy-efficient and affordable than they were five years ago. Televisions are 48% more efficient and 44% cheaper than 2016 models, despite increases in screen size. Similarly, fans are 49% more efficient than models assessed two years ago, with some models 2-3 times more efficient than conventional models sold in Europe.

Improving the performance and affordability of off-grid appliances and equipment can help make critical income-generating and time-saving devices more accessible to consumers in developing economies. A typical household in sub-Saharan Africa owns 2-5 appliances, compared to the 30+ appliances found in a typical European or North American household. Achieving greater parity in appliance ownership could enable households and businesses in developing countries to realise significant productivity and quality of life improvements.

While near-to-market appliances show clear signs of improvement, further advancements in performance and cost are needed to scale the market for emerging technologies. Refrigerators and solar water pumps have gained market traction in recent years, but remain out of reach for most consumers. According to the report, the average cost of a refrigerator or solar water pump is 3-5 times higher than 50% of off-grid consumers’ annual budget for energy and appliances.

“Understanding where the energy efficiency and pricing gaps are in emerging product classes is critical to unlocking the full potential of solar”, says Elisa Lai, Manager of Appliance Testing and Quality Assurance for the Low-Energy Inclusive Appliances Programme (LEIA). “Market actors rely on our independent testing data to improve product performance and identify investment opportunities capable of delivering the greatest impact.”

However, efficiency improvements alone may not be sufficient to drive down high appliance prices, the report finds. “The 2021 Appliance Data Trends report demonstrates the positive impact that Efficiency for Access programs have had in spurring innovations that drive cost and efficiency improvements”, says Jenny Corry Smith, Manager of the LEIA Programme. “However, sales and market penetration for these appliances are still low. Less than 4% of rural Africans own a refrigerator and less than 1% of all irrigation systems installed in India are solar-powered.”

Addressing high taxes, duties, and costs along the value chain and expanding consumer financing may help make larger appliances more accessible to consumers. However, larger interventions are also needed. “To further improve affordability whilst maintaining efficiency and high performance of appliances, we need to consider enabling factors such as interoperability, quality assurance and the use of higher-efficiency permanent magnet motors”, says Makena Ireri, Research Manager for LEIA. “Efficiency for Access is conducting more exploratory research on these topics to support the growth of appliance markets in-tandem with our work on efficiency and cost.”

The 2021 Appliance Data Trends report is a flagship publication of Efficiency for Access, a global coalition working to promote high performing appliances that enable access to clean energy for the world’s poorest people.

READ THE REPORT

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About Efficiency for Access: Efficiency for Access is a global coalition working to promote high performing appliances that enable access to clean energy for the world’s poorest people. It is a catalyst for change, accelerating the growth of off-grid appliance markets to boost incomes, reduce carbon emissions, improve quality of life and support sustainable development.

Efficiency for Access consists of 15 Donor Roundtable Members, 10 Programme Partners, and more than 30 Investor Network members. Current Efficiency for Access Coalition members have programmes and initiatives spanning 44 countries and 22 key technologies. The Efficiency for Access Coalition is coordinated jointly by CLASP, an international appliance energy efficiency and market development specialist not for-profit organisation, and Energy Saving Trust, which specialises in energy efficiency product verification, data and insight, advice and research.

28 January 2021: The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved a $50 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) to improve access to electricity in Sierra Leone and enhance institutional capacity and commercial management of the sector. The project will also be co-financed with a $2.7 million grant by the Japan Policy and Human Resources Development Fund.

The Enhancing Sierra Leone Energy Access project will support the country’s post COVID-19 economic recovery by providing electricity to households, businesses, health clinics and schools, which is a critical part of the recovery process. It also supports the replacement of costly fuel generation plants with low cost power, which would free up scarce fiscal resources for other urgent socio-economic needs. This project will provide electricity to approximately 276,000 people and about 700 health facilities and schools and help cut an average of 15,135 tons Greenhouse Gas emissions per year.

Only 23% of Sierra Leonean have access to electricity, which is below the Sub-Saharan average of 30%. The gap in infrastructure is not only impacting people’s welfare and ability to access services, it is also severely impeding on competitiveness, job creation and poverty reduction. Private companies mention inadequate electricity provision as a major cause for high costs, disrupted production, and reduced profitability.

“Improving access to electricity in Sierra Leone is a critical development accelerator. This project will help address the country’s key infrastructure deficits, which is one of the most fundamental elements for promoting sustainable growth and job creation in the COVID-19 recovery,” said Gayle Martin, World Bank Country Manager for Sierra Leone. “More efforts are needed to improve the sector’s efficiency, as well as its overall financial sustainability. In addition to financing, the World Bank is also supporting a robust analytic and knowledge agenda.”

The Enhancing Sierra Leone Energy Access project is aligned with the outcomes of the multi-stakeholder energy sector roundtable held in October 2019 and the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority turnaround roundtable in November 2019 where the Government and donor partners were in consensus on the sector’s priorities.

29 January 2021: Namene Solar’s carbon credits will finance solar lights to serve every household without grid access across the entire country with Namibia’s first Gold Standard project.

Namene Solar today announced their latest carbon offsetting project in Namibia, certified by Gold Standard. It’s the first project in Namibia to receive the certification. It will see climate finance subsidise the sale of the company’s award-winning solar lights to rural homes and informal settlements across the country.

Currently just over 3% of Namibia’s population use solar to light their homes. Many people living off-grid in rural and peri-urban areas rely on paraffin candles and kerosene lamps for lighting. This is costly and harmful to health as well as contributing large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. They are also a leading cause of fires, which are a major issue in Namibia’s informal settlements.

Truly affordable solar light

Namene Solar’s project uses climate finance to replace fossil fuel-based lighting with renewable solar lights that provide clean, safe light at a truly affordable price, for the first  time.

Namene Solar’s Managing Director Patrick Lagrange said:

“We’re delighted to receive this certification and now look to rapidly scale the deployment of our lights nationwide across Namibia. By unlocking the carbon value of a solar light we can provide clean, affordable light for customers living off-grid and in informal settlements. Climate finance schemes like Namene Solar’s are vital to cut carbon emissions and reach the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Our solar lights compensate for carbon emissions, eliminate harmful fuels and improve education and economic outcomes for households.”

Across Namibia 652,000 solar lights will be distributed, avoiding 252,000t CO2 and benefitting 1.2 million people. On average households save $522 by cutting out the purchase of kerosene for lamps. This is Namene Solar’s second Gold Standard project, following the certification of the Zambia project in December 2020.

Solar light SDG impacts

The project directly contributes to several of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including SDG1: no poverty; SDG7: universal clean energy and SDG13 climate action. The solar lights also have multiple, immediate benefits for users which include improving education outcomes and reducing health risks and fire hazards associated with kerosene lamps. Namibia is the second country added to the company’s solar light carbon credit programmes which cover a number of Sub-Saharan African countries that together have a significant impact on global carbon emissions. 

Part of Foundation’s Billion-Dollar Global Commitment to Ending the Pandemic and Providing Sustainable Pathways out of Poverty

3 February 2021: The Rockefeller Foundation announces an initial USD 34.95 million to ensure more equitable access to Covid-19 testing and vaccines; leverage innovation, data, machine-learning; combat the escalating food crisis; and scale up access to renewable energy in Africa. Collaborating with 24 organizations, businesses, and government agencies, this pan-African effort will also focus on 10 countries: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. The announcement comes 100 days after the Foundation’s landmark commitment of USD 1 billion over three years to help end the Covid-19 pandemic and drive a more inclusive and sustainable global recovery. 

“Since The Rockefeller Foundation first opened its Africa Regional Office in Nairobi in 1966, the region has remained a top priority for us,” said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. “With this initial round of funding, we are beginning to deliver on our billion-dollar pledge to help end the Covid-19 pandemic in Africa and for us all, while investing in wealth-building opportunities for those who have been shut out of economic progress and are bearing the brunt of this pandemic.” 

“We are very pleased to be committing over USD 30 million to ensure a sustainable, equitable Covid-19 response in Africa,” William Asiko, Managing Director and Head of The Rockefeller Foundation’s Africa Regional Office. “A significant portion of this funding will benefit the Africa CDC’s effort to accelerate testing and tracing in several countries across the continent. These efforts will allow Governments at national and subnational levels to make informed policy decisions about lifting restrictions on movement and thereby re-opening economic activity.” 

Closing the Health Inequity Gap – Covid-19 Testing, Innovation, and Investment:

The largest portion of the pan-African commitment goes to the Africa Public Health Foundation to support the Africa Centres for Disease Control (CDC). Announced last week in the lead up to the Agency’s fourth anniversary, the Foundation provided a USD 12 million grant to expand the geographic availability of testing centers to both urban and rural areas as well as strengthen community level tracing efforts, and enhance data infrastructure through the Africa CDC’s Partnership to Accelerate Covid-19 Testing (PACT).  

In addition to PACT, the Foundation is supporting a range of organizations working all across the continent, including:

• Ending Pandemics to scale the crowdsourced epidemic intelligence platform, EpiCore, and support EAIDSNet in Tanzania to improve their abilities to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks through a One Health approach; 
• Lacuna Fund, a project of Meridian Institute, awarded funding to six teams across the continent to build locally representative datasets to reduce bias in machine learning tools for agriculture analytics, fuelling an equitable recovery for farmers;  
• Malaria No More to establish a guarantee facility through The Health Finance Coalition to unlock working capital for private small and medium size healthcare providers in Africa; 
• Praekelt.org to launch an initiative to integrate Ada‘s AI-powered health assessments into the South African National Department of Health’s MomConnect platform with potential to provide over 1 million mothers and young children across South Africa with access to intelligent healthcare technology; 
• Shining Hope for Communities to expand Covid-19 testing and tracing efforts in Kenyan Informal Settlements because Covid-19 poses even greater risks to those living in densely populated communities with less access to healthcare and sanitation services; 
• Speak Up Africa to encourage and promote positive social behavior change to prevent the spread of Covid-19. 

Collaborating to Combat the Covid-19 Crisis and Unlock Access to Opportunity:

Covid-19 has deepened food insecurity and hunger across the world and in Africa. The World Food Programme estimates that hunger has doubled as a result of the pandemic, leaving more than 270 million people without enough to eat. The Rockefeller Foundation’s efforts focus on responding to the urgency of the Covid-19-triggered food crises while advancing more sustainable, nourishing, and equitable food systems across Africa. Through The Rockefeller Foundation Catalytic Capital (RFCC), the Foundation’s new public charity, USD 5 million will support the structuring and implementation of an accelerator to power agriculture and protective foods SMEs. As the second RFCC venture overall, and first one in Africa, the Accelerator is expected to provide technical and financial support to small- and medium-sized enterprises addressing the issues of availability, equitable access, and affordability for protective, healthy foods among poor and underserved communities on the continent.  

To build food systems across Africa that are equipped to nourish people and sustain the planet’s resources, The Foundation is supporting organizations like:

• African Population and Health Research Center for developing an action plan to transition Nairobi’s food system to be more nourishing and sustainable by the year 2050 as part of the Food System Vision Prize; 
• Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa to strengthen food systems data and information generation while developing a platform to help governments better coordinate strategic responses to African food security; 
• Darkpore Media Africa for outlining a multi-faceted plan to build a more regenerative and nourishing food system in southwest Nigeria as part of the Food System Vision Prize; 
• Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition to provide small- and medium-sized enterprises with the resources to sustain access to nutritious foods during the Covid-19 pandemic; 
• International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to support researchers and stakeholders in East Africa to build more equitable and sustainable food systems while promoting healthy diets; 
• Seed Systems Group to extend the benefits of improved seed and other technologies in order to create resilient, smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa; 
• Vanguard Economics to increase the consumption of nutritious whole grains in vulnerable communities through safety net programs reaching more than three million students at schools in Rwanda.

To address the growing food crisis in Kenya in particular, The Foundation is collaborating with: 

• D-Implement to carry out a market assessment for the insect-based feed sector to support transition towards sustainable feed for protective foods such as fish and chickens; 
• Eastern Africa Grain Council to develop and demonstrate a smart market concept for the future that increases access to safe, affordable, and nutritious food; 
• Farm Shop to use its franchise model to design and implement sustainable farmer aggregation centers in Kenya to support smallholder farmers and increase the availability of protective foods; 
• Retail Trade Association of Kenya to develop a road map for the implementation of food safety standards for fresh produce. 

For much of the world’s poor, a key impediment to their entry into a modern economy is a lack of access to reliable electricity. More than 75% of people without access to electricity today live in sub-Saharan Africa, and the pandemic has caused energy access rates to decrease here for the first time since 2013. In addition, barely a quarter of healthcare facilities have access to reliable power. Unlike traditional approaches to electrification, which has done little to expand access for the hundreds of millions of people in rural and peri-urban areas without power, the Foundation is investing in distributed renewable energy (DRE), which is local and inclusive.  

DRE creates local jobs and drives economic inclusion and new opportunities in education, healthcare, agriculture, and small business. In support of these efforts, the Foundation is working with:

• Power for All and partners to build national coalitions and awareness to advance healthcare electrification with DRE in Zambia and Burkina Faso to start, with plans to expand to other priority countries; 
• Odyssey Energy Solutions, and FactorE, alongside The Shell Foundation, to cut the cost of DRE and electrify health centers across the continent; 
• CrossBoundary for a mini-grid learning lab that is focused on gathering and analyzing data to expedite the expansion of DRE projects in Africa;  
• Konexa, to launch its integrated electricity distribution platform in Nigeria, which will also serve as a model for utilities across Africa to accelerate access to affordable and reliable power; 
• Sustainable Energy for All to catalyze electricity connections by mini-grids in Africa through a new results-based financing facility, the Universal Energy Facility.

The Rockefeller Foundation’s Commitment to Reimagining the Future:

This is a time of tremendous economic, technological, and social change. An estimated 435 million people have been pushed deeper into poverty during the pandemic, and climate change is threatening decades of global progress. The Rockefeller Foundation’s catalytic USD 1 billion investment to reduce energy poverty and fight the Covid-19 pandemic reaffirms its commitment to building a more equitable, inclusive and sustainable future to enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. As part of the Foundation’s goal to align its internal investment strategy and external values and mission, in December 2020 it announced a commitment to divest its own USD 5 billion endowment from existing fossil fuel interests while refraining from future fossil fuel investments.

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About The Rockefeller Foundation: The Rockefeller Foundation advances new frontiers of science, data, and innovation to solve global challenges related to health, food, power, and economic mobility. As a science-driven philanthropy focused on building collaborative relationships with partners and grantees, The Rockefeller Foundation seeks to inspire and foster large-scale human impact that promotes the well-being of humanity throughout the world by identifying and accelerating breakthrough solutions, ideas, and conversations. For more information visit: rockefellerfoundation.org.

4 February 2021: Bboxx, a next generation utility, is partnering with Trafigura, one of the world’s leading independent commodity trading companies, to accelerate progress on meeting United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 (UN SDG 7) – clean energy for all – in Africa.

Bboxx manufactures, distributes and finances decentralised solar powered systems in developing countries, operating across Africa and Asia, and in the ten years since Bboxx was founded, it has positively impacted over one million people through clean energy. Trafigura’s minority equity investment comes as Bboxx embarks on the next phase of its growth and accelerates its clean cooking commitments – a key part of tackling energy poverty and meeting UN SDG 7.

Inaction on the clean cooking crisis is costing the world over $2.4 trillion each year*. The use of charcoal and wood result in significant emissions of greenhouse gases and black soot, as well as deforestation. The lack of modern cooking solutions also has negative health and gender equality consequences, and results in lost economic opportunities. Access to modern clean cooking services using Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is significantly cleaner and a vital step in the energy transition to low and zero-carbon sources.

This landmark agreement brings together complementary expertise to fast-track progress on clean cooking access in Africa. Bboxx’s innovative Internet of Things (IoT) technology and experience from its established Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) Solar Home Systems business, are all needed to deliver clean cooking in a scalable and distributed model. Bboxx has been applying this expertise to PAYG LPG clean cooking through pilots in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Kenya. It has been ramping up efforts in the DRC after receiving funding from USAID to roll out a PAYG LPG clean cooking access programme.

As a global leader in LPG, Trafigura will play a major role in the future supply growth of LPG across Africa. Trafigura has recently set targets to reduce its operational greenhouse gas emissions and is committed to accelerating the energy transition through its Power and Renewables division, which is investing in renewable energy projects and building a portfolio of investments in innovative renewable technology firms.

Mansoor Hamayun, CEO and Co-Founder of Bboxx commented: “We are committed to tackling energy poverty in all its forms – and it is unacceptable that in 2021 billions of people still live without access to clean cooking facilities. The world is still a long way off meeting UN SDG 7 – clean energy for all – and by forging partnerships and working with major global firms like Trafigura, we can turbocharge progress to unlock potential and transform even more lives for the better.”

James Josling, Head of Africa Energy Trading for Trafigura said: “Trafigura’s investment in Bboxx forms part of our strategy to continue to develop markets for LPG as a lower carbon fuel for clean cooking. Bboxx’s innovative business models and proven expertise in providing renewable energy services make it an ideal company to collaborate with and an attractive investment for Trafigura.”

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About Bboxx: Bboxx is a next generation utility, transforming lives and unlocking potential through access to energy. Bboxx manufactures, distributes and finances decentralised solar powered systems in developing countries. It is scaling through forging strategic partnerships and its innovative technology Bboxx Pulse®, a comprehensive management platform using IoT technology. Through affordable, reliable, and clean utility provision, Bboxx is bringing people into the digital economy, creating new markets, and enabling economic development in off-grid communities and those living without a reliable grid connection. The company is positively impacting the lives of more than one million people with its products and services in over 35 markets, directly contributing to 11 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

So far, Bboxx has deployed more than 350,000 solar home systems. Bboxx has over 800 staff across nine offices including in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, and Togo, with its head office in the UK and its manufacturing operations in China. In 2019, Bboxx was the winner of the Zayed Sustainability Prize in the Energy category – testament to the way the company is making a meaningful difference to people’s lives around the world.

About Trafigura: Founded in 1993, Trafigura is one of the largest physical commodities trading groups in the world. Trafigura sources, stores, transports and delivers a range of raw materials (including oil and refined products and metals and minerals) to clients around the world and has recently established a power and renewables trading division.

The trading business is supported by industrial and financial assets, including a majority ownership of global zinc and lead producer Nyrstar which has mining, smelting and other operations located in Europe, Americas and Australia; a significant shareholding in global oil products storage and distribution company Puma Energy; global terminals, warehousing and logistics operator Impala Terminals; Trafigura’s Mining Group; and Galena Asset Management.With circa 850 shareholders, Trafigura is owned by its employees.

Over 8,500 employees work in 48 countries around the world. Trafigura has achieved substantial growth over recent years, growing revenue from USD12 billion in 2003 to USD147 billion in 2020. The Group has been connecting its customers to the global economy for more than two decades, growing prosperity by advancing trade. For more information visit: www.trafigura.com.

5 February 2021: The World Bank approved $500 million to support the government of Nigeria in improving its electricity distribution sector. The project will help boost electricity access by improving the performance of the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) through a large-scale metering program desired by Nigerians for a long time. In addition, financial support would be provided to private distribution companies only on achievement of results in terms of access connections, improved financial management and network expansion. 

85 million Nigerians don’t have access to grid electricity. This represents 43% percent of the country’s population and makes Nigeria the country with the largest energy access deficit in the world. The lack of reliable power is a significant constraint for citizens and businesses, resulting on annual economic losses estimated at $26.2 billion (₦10.1 trillion) which is equivalent to about 2 percent of GDP. According to the 2020 World Bank Doing Business report, Nigeria ranks 171 out of 190 countries in getting electricity and electricity access is seen as one of the major constraints for the private sector.

“Improving access and reliability of power is key to reduce poverty and unlocking economic growth in the aftermath of the global COVID-19 pandemic,” says Shubham Chaudhuri, World Bank Country Director. “The operation will help improve the financial viability of the DISCOs and increase revenues for the whole Nigerian power sector, which is critical to save scarce fiscal resources and create jobs by increasing the productivity of private and public enterprises”.

The Nigeria Distribution Sector Recovery Program (DISREP) will help improve service quality, as well as the financial and technical performance of distribution companies by providing financing based on performance and reduction of losses. This project complements the support provided under the Power Sector Recovery Operation (PSRO) approved in June 2020. Specifically, it will ensure that distribution companies make necessary investments to rehabilitate networks, install electric meters for more accurate customer billing and to improve quality of service for those already connected to the grid. It will also help strengthen the financial and technical management of DISCOs to improve the transparency and accountability of the distribution sector.  

“The program will only be eligible to those DISCOs that transparently declare their performance reports to public with actual flow of funds based on strict verification of achieved performance targets by an independent third party. The program would also make meters available at affordable prices to all consumers in Nigeria, a long pending demand of Nigerians,” says Nataliya Kulichenko, World Bank task team leader for the project.

The program will reduce the CO2 emissions of the Nigerian power sector by reducing technical losses, increasing energy efficiency, replacing diesel and biomass with grid-electricity, and investing more in on- and off-grid renewable energy.  DISREP supports the development of regulatory guidance on climate-resilient infrastructure and facilitates inclusion of climate risks in decision making.

10 February 2021: Today we made the first disbursement from a new $11m syndicated debt facility to SunCulture, a solar irrigation company based in Nairobi, to expand its operations in sub-Saharan Africa.

It's a groundbreaking moment for the productive use solar sector, both in terms of its size and the innovative combination of working capital and end-user financing.

SunFunder arranged as well as invested in the facility, leading a group of lenders comprising Triodos Investment Management, Nordic Development Fund, AlphaMundi and the AfDB’s FEI OGEF managed by Lion’s Head.

It enables SunCulture to scale up renewable energy installations at smallholder farms and households that will mitigate over 20,000 tons of CO2 annually – as farmers replace diesel pumps with solar ones – while facilitating income growth and job opportunities in rural communities.

"We are delighted to have led this syndicate of proactive lenders who worked well together for a common goal: to help SunCulture reach many more farmers," said Jemimah Kwakye-Fosu, Investment Officer, who led the transaction for SunFunder. "It shows how working capital can be combined with end user financing, which is essential for making productive use technologies affordable."

SunCulture has pioneered a “Pay-As-You-Grow” business model to make solar-powered irrigation affordable for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, combining end-user finance, value-added services, modern climate technology, and access to improve productivity. A recent report by Dalberg shows that irrigation systems and solar-powered water pumps can increase farmers’ production between 2 and 4 times, and their income between 2 and 6 times.

"The past year was devastating for the millions of smallholder farmers in Kenya; 87% are in a worse financial position due to the pandemic. 81% of SunCulture farmers, however, were able to increase their revenue from farming in 2020. Solar irrigation helps create food security and sovereignty, and it also helps lift people out of poverty," said Samir Ibrahim, CEO at SunCulture.

At SunFunder we are passionate about tailoring the right financing structures to help innovative companies grow and secure additional capital from like-minded investors. New approaches in new sectors like this require proactive partnerships, including with Power Africa on some of the additional transaction costs of pioneering new financing structures.

"This is a pioneering transaction that demonstrates how productive use technologies like solar irrigation can be scaled up. SunFunder arranged this facility with a similar-minded group of lenders to support an innovative product and business model. We look forward to seeing SunCulture grow in Kenya and new markets," said Surabhi Mathur Visser, Head of Investments at SunFunder.

10 February 2021: Today, the Efficiency for Access Research and Development Fund announces Solaris Offgrid’s successful development of OpenPAYGO Link.

Since receiving funding from UK aid through the Efficiency for Access Research and Development Fund in 2019, the UK-based technology company has designed a free and secure, open-source technology designed to improve compatibility between solar home systems sold on a pay-as-you-go basis and a wider range of off-grid appliances. The innovation will enhance access to modern energy services for off-grid consumers around the world by enabling them to build custom energy solutions to meet their needs and budget.

The Efficiency for Access Research and Development Fund supported Solaris Offgrid in developing OpenPAYGO Link having identified a lack of interoperability between many appliances and solar home systems’ PAYGo hardware, an issue that resulted in limited consumer choice and high research and development expenses for manufacturers and distributors.

Solar home systems are often sold on a pay-as-you-go basis to low-income customers without access to electricity. Solar home systems are often sold as bundles that include solar panels, batteries, lighting, and other appliances such as televisions. Many of these appliances only work when used with the solar home systems they are sold with, meaning consumers are locked into using products from one manufacturer. It also means that appliance manufacturers are required to customise their devices to communicate with each SHS’ PAYGo hardware.

Solaris Offgrid estimates that manufacturers who adopt the technology will benefit from savings approximately between US$60,000 in R&D costs and a further US$0.80 per product in manufacturing costs.

Benjamin David, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder, Solaris Offgrid, said “The grant from the Efficiency for Access Research and Fund was critical in helping Solaris Offgrid develop OpenPAYGO link. This open source product offers manufacturers an inexpensive, robust, and easily adoptable technology, which will help their PAYGO system and appliances to communicate with each other. We believe that this innovation will ultimately help end-users in low to middle-income countries access a greater range of products and services without compromising on affordability”.

The project is gaining attention and traction across the industry, with Solaris Offgrid’s partners, Fosera planning to use the OpenPAYGO technology within 10,000 refrigerators. 20 companies are also in discussion with Solaris Offgrid around the project, while large-scale manufacturers, including Mobisol, Fenix International, and Azuri Technologies have downloaded OpenPAYGO Link.

To learn more about the project, we invite you to read the project completion report.

The Sahel Alliance has invited the African Development Bank to lead a working group on agriculture, rural development and food security.

15 February 2021: The Sahel Alliance will hold its second general assembly in N'Djamena, Chad on Monday, 15 February 2021. The meeting will take place on the side-lines of a summit for the G5 Sahel countries— Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad—as well as France. The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) played an active role in the formation in July 2017 of the Alliance, an international cooperation platform to spur development and stability in the Sahel region.

To foster closer synergy with development partners, the Sahel Alliance has invited the African Development Bank to lead a working group on agriculture, rural development and food security.

The Bank's extensive experience in the Sahel region in the management and control of water, agri-pastoral and fisheries development, as well as the sustainable management of natural resources, attracted it to the Sahel Alliance.

Agriculture and food security is of strategic importance to the Bank, which counts Feed Africa as one of its High-5 strategic priorities.

The Bank’s current Sahel portfolio includes three key projects aimed at strengthening the resilience of ecosystems and populations and ensuring food security through investment in agriculture and livestock farming as well as sustainable management of natural resources.

The Bank’s flagship Desert to Power solar initiative, valued at $20 billion will turn the Sahel region into the world’s largest solar zone giant solar zone with up to 10 000 MW of solar generation capacity. Eleven countries are beneficiaries of this initiative: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan and Chad.

Spanning Burkina Faso, Chad, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and the Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), the Programme for Building Resilience to Food and Nutrition Insecurity in the Sahel (P2RS) advances resilience to climate change, long-term financing of the agricultural sector, and developing trade and regional integration.

By providing long-term sustained investment in building the resilience of Sahelian households, P2RS, which is mobilizing more than $250 million for its first phase and $750 million over 20 years, is contributing immensely to breaking the cycles of famine in the region. It also promotes the development of rural infrastructure and creates thousands of jobs for rural youth through the development of regional value chains and markets.

Another project that demonstrates the Bank's commitment to the region’s development is the ongoing implementation of the Programme for the Rehabilitation and Strengthening of the Resilience of Socio-Economic Systems in the Lake Chad Basin (PRESIBALT), which covers Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic and Nigeria.

The project, valued at approximately $70 million, provides skills enhancement training to young people to prepare, them for the local economy, thereby reintegrating vulnerable members of society in a region plagued by political insecurity and extreme weather. PRESIBALT also provides socioeconomic support to women and youth

The Bank is also implementing a third major initiative – the Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change Programme (IPCCP) -- to strengthen the populations of the Sahel.

With a budget of more than $205 million, the IPDCDC, which covers Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and the Niger Basin Authority, will directly benefit about four million people, 51% of them women, between 2019 and 2024.

Through an integrated and inclusive approach, the IPDCDC will recover 140,000 hectares of degraded land and construct 209 hydraulic structures for agri-pastoral and pisciculture activities. It will implement 450 sub-projects to help develop the agricultural chain and create 184 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) run by young people.

In addition, more than 100,000 households will be strengthened to adapt to climate change. The scheme will also operate a financing mechanism for sustainable natural resource management activities in the Niger River Basin.

The Summit will set out out blueprints for overcoming challenges to sustainable energy access through public-private sector discussion.

15 February 2021: The Future Energy Series: Africa (FESA) summit (FutureEnergySeriesAfrica.com) will convene senior African public and private sector energy stakeholders in Cape Town this November (1-5). The summit’s aim is to drive investment into African energy projects and set out a continental roadmap for securing a sustainable energy mix which supports development whilst achieving low-carbon goals.

The delegate pool will include:

• Government leaders – including FESA patrons Hon. Gwede Mantashe, South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources & Energy and H.E. Arthur Peter Mutharika, Former President of Malawi
• CEOs of National Utilities and Regulators
• CEOs, Directors, VPs and Heads from IPPs, technology, distribution and generation companies
• Leaders from the global finance sector, including banks, private equity and asset managers

The Summit will set out out blueprints for overcoming challenges to sustainable energy access through public-private sector discussion. It will also address as a priority the issue of boosting capital flow into African energy projects. IPPs and innovators providing bespoke power solutions will present a first look at bankable energy projects about to come to market to investors and developers. Governments will also showcase their country’s energy policy landscape and planned energy projects ripe for investment.

Paul Sinclair, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Future Energy Series: Africa said “Africa’s energy transition is unique globally and must be treated as such. FESA takes the view that both renewables and hydrocarbons will be necessary to provide reliable, low-cost power for the continent’s young, growing population. We are delighted to be working with our government patrons, as well as our partners: The Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative, The African Forum for Utility Regulators and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership to drive investment into Africa and map the continent’s energy future.”

Further updates about Future Energy Series: Africa are coming soon. Visit FuturEnergySeriesAfrica.com and follow FESA on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2N7wmvn), Facebook (http://bit.ly/2NxS0sn), Twitter (https://bit.ly/2N239lE) and Instagram (https://bit.ly/3b6QIgm) to be the first to know.

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About Future Energy Series: Africa: The vision of FESA (FutureEnergySeriesAfrica.com) is to drive green economies to ensure universal power access for the African continent. The event is the deal-making and project origination platform of choice for the continent’s most influential low-carbon energy stakeholders. FESA takes an Africa-centric approach to the energy transition, which prioritises sustainable development and solving the continental power deficit. It will run alongside its sister event, Africa Oil Week, 1-5 November 2021 in Cape Town, South Africa.

16 February 2021: Leading off-grid utilities provider, Winch Energy, has completed the funding for solar mini grid projects in 49 villages across Uganda and Sierra Leone through the creation of a new platform, Winch Energy IPP Holdings Limited (“WIPP”). The deal represents the largest mini grid financing portfolio to date, bringing together several major players in the off-grid space and was finalised on 29th January 2021. Winch Energy is owned by Total Eren, Itochu Corporation, Al Gihaz Holdings and Winch Partners.

The investment comes from Winch Energy Limited in partnership with NEoT Offgrid Africa – a platform established by Meridiam, EDF and Mitsubishi Corporation. NEoT Offgrid Africa supports and accelerates Africa’s energy transition and already invested more than €30 million in the electrification of 25,000 homes and businesses in Ivory Coast and Nigeria. SunFunder is also providing an additional $2m construction loan to the project. The partnership is in advanced discussions with two international development finance institutions to bring debt into the project, which has been agreed in principle. Subsidies are provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO, formerly DFID) for the projects in Sierra Leone and by the German Development Ministry (BMZ) and European Union in support of the Ugandan projects. The project development is also supported by GIZ in Uganda and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Sierra Leone.

The mini grids will be built with Winch Energy’s own proprietary technology, the Remote Power Unit (RPU), and will be operational within the next 12 months, providing remote communities with affordable, clean energy and access to essential services. This first $16 million award-winning project will have a capacity of connecting more than 6,500 customers. The sites, located in the Lamwo district of Uganda and in Tonkolili, Koinadugu and Bombali districts of Sierra Leone will supply clean energy to over 60,000 people for the first time.

A further 6,000 portable batteries will also be installed through the project to provide people outside of the mini grid catchment area with clean electricity. In addition to energy access, the project will also provide internet to the communities through partnerships with telecom operators in both countries. The developments will open up a pipeline of additional projects in both countries, further securing Winch Energy’s position in the off-grid market.

Together, the Winch Energy and NEoT investment vehicle, Winch IPP Holdings Limited, expects to expand operations into more countries, with ambitions to reach some $100 Million of operating projects in the next 24 months. Main contractors to the transaction are Winch Energy Italy SRL and Sagemcom. Legal advisers to the transaction were Fieldfisher and Clarkson, Wright and Jakes, acting on behalf of Winch Energy and WIPP and August Debouzy representing NEoT.

Winch Energy already operates 13 sites in northern Sierra Leone, which were completed as part of an earlier phase of this project. Winch also powers communities in Benin, Mauritania and Angola, with a project to supply power to 20,000 residents in Bunjako on Uganda’s Lake Victoria expected to be fully operational by March 2021. The latest projects will support the company to deliver sustainable, reliable energy to all.

Nicholas Wrigley, CEO of Winch Energy Limited, comments: “We are thrilled to have achieved the funding for our projects in Sierra Leone and Uganda through the creation of this new platform, Winch Energy IPP Holdings, with our partners NEoT Africa. This platform will enable us to rapidly scale up operations in Africa. Not only does this deal pave the future for Winch Energy as a leader in large-scale off-grid renewables, it also stimulates economic growth and improves education and healthcare provision in remote communities.”

Frédéric Pfister, Director of NEoT Offgrid Africa (NOA), says: “NEoT Off Grid Africa is really proud to have set up this first of a kind financing scheme, together with its financial partners and industrial key players as Winch Energy and Sagemcom. Financing needs for energy access in Africa are huge, but most of the times very challenging for private investors. This deal will surely position NOA as a key player for financing mini grids and other off grid solutions – such as solar home systems (SHS) and commercial & industry installations – to provide much more energy access for people and industries in Africa.”

Amid growing demand, Morocco aims to meet its energy needs by combining large-scale energy efficiency strategies and renewable energy investments

17 February 2021: The African Development Bank’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) (https://bit.ly/37jYAtS) is providing a $965,000 grant to Morocco’s Société d’Ingénierie Energétique (SIE), to support its transition into the first Super Energy Service Company (ESCO) initiative in Africa.

“This support from the African Development Bank will enable the operationalization of the new SIE as a Super ESCO, thus creating a model well aligned with the needs of the country’s energy efficiency sector,” said Ahmed Baroudi, SIE’s Chief Executive Officer.

Amid growing demand, Morocco aims to meet its energy needs by combining large-scale energy efficiency strategies and renewable energy investments. Super ESCOs are vehicles for channelling funds into public sector energy efficiency investments such as hospitals, schools, and street lighting, laying the foundation for private investment later in the commercial and industrial sectors.

As a Super ESCO, the SIE should be able to overcome many of the challenges in scaling up energy efficiency investments. It will also open market opportunities for local ESCOs, offer quality assurance support and build their reputation among end-users and investors.

The grant will provide SIE with operational tools to develop a pipeline of bankable energy efficiency investment projects, said Brice Mikponhoue, Officer in Charge at the North Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office of the African Development Bank.

“The implementation of Super ESCOs on the continent will gradually contribute to the expansion and strengthening of the energy efficiency financing ecosystem. The African Development Bank is proud to support the first Super ESCO in Africa and looks forward to supporting further projects in the future,” said Jalel Chabchoub, Chief Investment Officer and Energy Efficiency Specialist in the Department of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency at the African Development Bank.

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About SEFA: SEFA (https://bit.ly/37jYAtS) is an African Development Bank-managed special fund, providing finance for renewable energy. SEFA’s overarching goal is to contribute to universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services for all in Africa, in line with the Bank’s New Deal on Energy for Africa and the UN Sustainable Development Goal 7. SEFA was established in 2011 in partnership with the Government of Denmark (https://bit.ly/3ayGDdt) and has since received contributions from the Governments of the United States (https://www.usaid.gov/), United Kingdom (https://bit.ly/2KNEr6M), Italy (www.minambiente.it), Norway (http://bit.ly/2Zpq2Sw), Spain (www.mineco.gob.es), and Sweden (http://bit.ly/34BmYWq), the Nordic Development Fund (www.ndf.fi) and Germany (http://bit.ly/3u31xIS). SEFA is housed in the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Department (PERN) under the Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth (PEVP) complex.

23 February 2021: A new group of 36 funders active in the field of household solar in Africa, have come together to identify key priority areas to amplify sector impact.

The Household Solar Funders Group (HSFG) builds upon the Scaling Off Grid Energy (SOGE) initiative founded by USAID, FCDO, the African Development Bank and Shell Foundation in 2018 to coordinate donor activity in the sector.

By expanding the group to be more inclusive of other funders (donors & investors) in the sector the HSFG aims to accelerate access to energy (SDG7) through collaboration on activities which address market barriers and benefit from a collective approach.

The HSFG will focus on energy access solutions and products which support clean and efficient energy access for households and associated economic activities, focusing on Africa and including:

• Energy generation and lighting (solar lanterns, pico solar, solar home systems up to 350 Wp)
• Appliances and productive use devices able to be powered by such solar home systems

“Collaboration will help in providing energy access to currently unserved populations and is needed to protect and expand the impact achieved to date by the sector,” said Wim Jonker Klunne, HSFG coordinator.

“We have identified a number of key priority areas where its members can work together to amplify impact.”

Working groups have been established to address:

• Supporting locally-owned and/or managed solar companies to grow and scale
• The role of public finance in private sector delivery of energy services (particularly to low-income customers)
• The role of productive use of energy in the household solar sector

More information on the HSFG can be obtained from by emailing Wim at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

• EDF takes a 23% stake in Bboxx’s Kenya operations, building on Bboxx and EDF’s successful joint venture in Togo, launched in 2018
• Bboxx and current investor AIIM are also ramping up investment in Bboxx Kenya to turbocharge the growth of Bboxx’s largest market
• The investment will accelerate clean energy provision to over two million people in Kenya

25 February 2021: Bboxx, a next generation utility, and EDF, a global leader in low-carbon energies, are strengthening their partnership as EDF becomes a shareholder in Bboxx Kenya. Together, they aim to provide access to clean, reliable and affordable and CO2-free energy to over two million Kenyans with solar home systems by 2025.

Under the terms of the agreement, EDF takes a 23% stake in Bboxx Kenya. In addition to the equity investment, EDF will bring its commercial resources and its experience from developing off-grid solutions in several African countries. EDF’s investment in Bboxx’s Kenya operations will accelerate expansion into what is currently Bboxx’s largest market. Bboxx manufactures, distributes and finances decentralised solar powered systems in developing countries and has been operating in Kenya since 2011. To date, it has positively impacted the lives of 500,000 individuals, rural households, communities and SMEs across Kenya.

The Kenyan market represents a major growth opportunity for Bboxx and its partners. Throughout the pandemic, Bboxx’s business model has been resilient, with plans to ramp up shop openings across the country to meet growing consumer demand. As a result, Bboxx and current shareholder African Infrastructure Investment Fund 3 (AIIF3), a fund managed by Africa Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), are contributing further investment in Bboxx Kenya. This builds on momentum from the USD 31 million investment from AIIM in Bboxx’s Kenya, Rwanda and DRC operations in 2019.

This latest step in Bboxx and EDF’s relationship follows the 50% joint venture deal between Bboxx and EDF in Togo, launched in 2018. They recently doubled down on their partnership in Togo, moving beyond Solar Home Systems (SHS) to also include solar-powered irrigation systems for sustainable farming with partners like SunCulture. Bboxx and EDF have worked on various innovative projects in Togo, including launching Tomorrow’s Connected Community where an entire Togolese village is powered by solar energy.

This investment will turbo-charge the roll-out of Bboxx’s Solar Home Systems (SHS) available to customers on a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) basis using mobile money. Bboxx’s comprehensive management platform Bboxx Pulse®, powered by Internet of Things (IoT) technology, enables remote management and monitoring. This means the company can scale access to clean energy across vast locations.

Mansoor Hamayun, CEO and Co-Founder of Bboxx commented: “Expanding our strong partnership with EDF after success in our Togo joint venture demonstrates our commitment to scale and expand access to essential off-grid solar energy. By forging strategic partnerships with major global firms, we can mobilise substantial investment to accelerate progress towards UN’s SDG 7 – clean energy for all.”.

“Despite the Covid-19 environment, this announcement underlines the robustness of our business model and confidence in our tools to build back better. We look forward to growing together and developing new partnership opportunities to unlock potential and transform millions of lives.”

Valerie Levkov, EDF’s Senior Vice President Africa ,Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean Division, commented: “At EDF, we are excited to build on our existing partnership with Bboxx to further ramp up our common activities in the field of off-grid developpement in several African countries. We are very happy to work with such a like-minded partner who shares our commitment to building a low-carbon future. We take pride in creating synergies between our various partners in Kenya in support of the country’s growth. Our expansion on the Kenyan market is part of our CAP 2030 strategic goal of tripling our activities at the international level.

Ashwin West, Investment Director at AIIM added: “We are excited to be working with EDF in the off-grid energy sector, supporting our shared goal of providing clean, affordable energy to two million Kenyans by 2025. Leveraging accessible technology through strategic partnerships also allows us to bring productive inputs to many and create lasting, impactful change.”

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About Bboxx: Bboxx is a next generation utility, transforming lives and unlocking potential through access to energy. Bboxx manufactures, distributes and finances decentralised solar powered systems in developing countries. It is scaling through forging strategic partnerships and its innovative technology Bboxx Pulse®, a comprehensive management platform using IoT technology. Through affordable, reliable, and clean utility provision, Bboxx is bringing people into the digital economy, creating new markets, and enabling economic development in off-grid communities and those living without a reliable grid connection. The company is positively impacting the lives of more than one million people with its products and services in over 35 markets, directly contributing to 11 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

So far, Bboxx has deployed more than 350,000 solar home systems. Bboxx has over 800 staff across nine offices including in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, and Togo, with its head office in the UK and its manufacturing operations in China. In 2019, Bboxx was the winner of the Zayed Sustainability Prize in the Energy category – testament to the way the company is making a meaningful difference to people’s lives around the world.

About EDF: A key player in energy transition, the EDF Group is an integrated electricity company, active in all areas of the business: generation, transmission, distribution, energy supply and trading, energy services. A global leader in low-carbon energies, the Group has developed a diversified generation mix based on nuclear power, hydropower, new renewable energies and thermal energy. The Group is involved in supplying energy and services to approximately 37.9 million customers (1), 28.1 million of which are in France. It generated consolidated sales of €69 billion in 2020. EDF is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange.

(1) Customers are counted since 2018 per delivery site; a customer can have two delivery points: one for electricity and another for gas

About AIIM: AIIM is a member of Old Mutual Alternative Investments (OMAI) and has been investing in the African infrastructure sector since 1999 with a track record extending across seven African infrastructure funds. AIIM’s team of 41 investment professionals is based out of five offices across the continent in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Lagos and Abidjan.

AIIM manages private equity funds which structure and invest in the financing of infrastructure projects and companies across the continent. AIIM currently manages USD1.6 billion in assets across the power, telecommunications, energy and transport sectors with operations in 19 countries throughout the continent. AIIM is one of the largest private investors in the power sector with power portfolio extending across renewable energy and thermal power assets with a combined generation capacity of over 2,800 MW.

1 March 2021: ENGIE (www.ENGIE-Africa.com) is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement to acquire from Abengoa a 40% equity stake in Xina Solar One, a 100 MW Concentrated Solar plant, as well as 46% of the Operations & Maintenance Company. The plant is equipped with parabolic trough technology and a molten salt storage system that allows for 5.5 hours of energy storage to provide reliable electricity during peak demand. Power is contracted through a 20 years Power Purchase Agreement with Eskom (South African Electricity Public Utility). Xina Solar One is supplying clean energy to more than 95,000 South African households and prevents the emission into the atmosphere of approximately 348,000 tons of CO2 each year.

The plant is located in the Northern Cape of South Africa, which is also the location of ENGIE’s 100 MW Kathu CSP plant. Xina Solar One increases ENGIE’s renewable footprint and is a further step to cementing its position as the leading Independent Power Producer in the country. Synergies between Xina and Kathu will be developed to further enhance the operational efficiency of both plants.

“With the acquisition of this project, ENGIE is pursuing its low carbon strategy. Xina augments the country’s installed peaking power and reduces its dependence on coal-fired electricity. The 100 MW CSP plant also contributes to ENGIE’s geographic rationalization by expanding its footprint in South Africa, where it is the leading Independent Power Producer with 1,320 MW of installed capacity.”  says Sébastien Arbola, CEO of ENGIE MESCATA.

Mohamed Hoosen, CEO of ENGIE Southern Africa commented: “ENGIE is valued as a highly skilled IPP and a long-term player in the South African power industry. We are adding an innovative high-performing plant and are increasing our CSP capacity. This investment will create value over the longer term while accelerating impact on the energy transition of our customers.”

Co-shareholders on Xina Solar One include Public Investment Corporation, a pension fund manager and a shareholder on ENGIE’s Kathu project (20%); Industrial Development Corporation, a development finance institution wholly- owned by the South African Government (20%); and Xina Community Trust, funded by the IDC (20%). Xina Solar One, which started commercial operation in August 2017, was built by Abengoa.

Completion of the transaction is subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions including merger control clearance from relevant competition authorities.

In South Africa, ENGIE has interests in a CSP plant (100 MW Kathu), a wind farm (94 MW Aurora), 2 solar photovoltaic plants (21 MW) and 2 thermal power peaking plants (670 MW Avon and 335 MW Dedisa).

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About ENGIE MESCATA: ENGIE (www.ENGIE.com) has a presence of almost 30 years in the Middle East, South & Central Asia, Turkey and Africa region. In the Middle East, it is the regional leading independent power & water producer with a gross capacity of 30 GW of power and 5.5 million m3/day of water production, serving over 40 million people daily with power and 10 million with potable water from desalination. In Africa, the Group has 3.15 GW of power generation capacity in operation or construction and is South Africa’s first Independent Power Producer. It is a leader in the decentralized energy market, providing clean energy to more than five million people through domestic solar installations and local microgrids. ENGIE’s renewable portfolio exceeds 2,300 MW of power in India and Africa. In the Middle East, the Group is a regional leader in district cooling through Tabreed, in which it has a 40% stake, and which currently delivers over 1.4 million tons of cooling across 86 plants in the GCC. ENGIE is also a leading provider of Customer Solutions in the Gulf region and Morocco. For more information visit: www.ENGIEMiddleEast.com and www.ENGIE-Africa.com.

About ENGIE: Our group is a global reference in low-carbon energy and services. Together with our 170,000 employees, our customers, partners and stakeholders, we are committed to accelerate the transition towards a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally-friendly solutions. Inspired by our purpose (“raison d’être”), we reconcile economic performance with a positive impact on people and the planet, building on our key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to our customers. Turnover in 2020: 55.8 billion Euros. The Group is listed on the Paris and Brussels stock exchanges (ENGI) and is represented in the main financial indices (CAC 40, DJ Euro Stoxx 50, Euronext 100, FTSE Eurotop 100, MSCI Europe) and non-financial indices (DJSI World, DJSI Europe and Euronext Vigeo Eiris – World 120, Eurozone 120, Europe 120, France 20, CAC 40 Governance).

2 March 2021: Greenlight Planet, the world's largest provider of solar-powered home systems, now offers affordable health and life insurance products to its rapidly expanding agent workforce in sub-saharan Africa. The insurance cover includes inpatient hospital visits, life insurance, and COVID-19 related illness, all of which can be extended to agents' family members, as well.

Greenlight Planet's network of over 7,000 commission agents forms the foundation for the largest pay-as-you-go business in the off-grid solar industry. The majority of sales agents, called 'Sun King Energy Officers', begin as customers of Sun King products to access reliable, affordable energy at home. Encouraged by their positive experience, they undergo training to become promoters of Sun King solar products within their communities.

"Earlier, I didn't feel it was important to have an insurance cover. But, recently, I was injured while on a motorbike, and that changed my mind. Due to the nature of my job, as I am always on the move, there is a chance of being involved in an accident, and this cover will come in handy. I am thankful to Greenlight Planet for offering us these insurance packages and for thinking about our health. This really motivates me to perform better and gain stronger results for the company", says Benson Makale, 19 years of age, a resident of Taveta, Kenya who has been a Sun King agent for over a year.

T he ' Hospital Cash & Life' plan that Greenlight Planet has engaged provides protection against medical expenditure for all Sun King agents between 18 and 65 years of age who reside in Kenya and choose to enroll in the plan. The sales agents can select from a few different packages, some with monthly premiums as low as $0.50 (USD) per month, a rate that comfortably fits into an agent's monthly wallet.

Mr. Dhaval Radia, Senior Vice President and Global Commercial Leader at Greenlight Planet  says, "Health and safety of our rapidly growing field sales workforce and their families are of paramount importance to us. Since the onset of COVID-19, we have taken several actions to keep our agents safe, and offering affordable insurance is one of them. Our vision is to extend

similar offerings to facilitate access to affordable healthcare to the more than seven million Sun King pay-as-you-go users in the near future."

Greenlight Planet has partnered with Turaco (Ellard Insurance Agency Ltd), an insurance provider that designs simplified and relevant insurance products at affordable premiums, to offer this medical insurance cover to their sales agents. The product is underwritten by Prudential Life Assurance Kenya Limited.

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About Greenlight Planet: Greenlight Planet is a social-mission, for-profit business that since 2009 has sold over 14 million of its Sun King solar home energy products to off-grid customers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The company reaches customers through its direct-to-consumer distribution and financing network, as well as wholesale partnerships with over 300 commercial and non-profit last-mile distributors, ranging from mobile network operators, to microfinance institutions, to oil and gas companies, to NGOs. Greenlight Planet's Sun King products are currently installed in over 65 countries and have served 60 million people. For more information visit: https://www.greenlightplanet.com.

• The project is expected to lower electricity costs for businesses and residences, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating construction and other jobs

3 March 2021: The African Development Bank’s Board of Directors (www.AfDB.org) today approved $27.2 million in loan financing for the design, construction and operation of a 200 MW photovoltaic solar power plant at Kom Ombo, in Upper Egypt on the river Nile.

The project is expected to lower electricity costs for businesses and residences, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating construction and other jobs.  

The project’s total cost is estimated at $156.4 million. In addition to the Bank’s financing, structured as a senior loan, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Arab Bank and the OPEC Fund for International Development will contribute funding. The plant, 800 km south of Cairo, is owned by ACWA Power, a leading Saudi Arabian developer, investor and operator of power generation and desalinated-water plants worldwide.

“We are delighted to support this project that will deliver one of the lowest generation tariffs on the continent,” said Kevin Kariuki, the Bank’s Vice President for, Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth. He added that “the project supports Egypt’s energy transition and contributes towards the country’s achievement of its targeted 20% share of renewables by 2022.”

Egypt’s economy has continued to grow during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its electricity demands are increasing at an average annual rate of 7%. By increasing Egypt’s installed power generation capacity from renewable sources, the plant is forecast to reduce greenhouse gas emissions more than 7 million tCO2e equivalent over a 25-year period. During the construction phase, 800 jobs will be created.

Egypt’s electricity grid is linked to those of neighbors Libya and Sudan, and the plant has the potential to greatly contribute to energy trading and electricity access in the region.

The project aligns with Egypt’s national Integrated Sustainable Energy Strategy and the Bank’s New Deal on Energy for Africa (http://bit.ly/3kF5Q97), which aims to increase the share of renewable energy through innovative financing in Africa’s energy sector. The project also advances the institution’s Light Up and Power Africa High-5 strategic priority. 

The Bank’s Deputy Director General for North Africa, Malinne Blomberg said that “the newly approved transaction is a continuation of the Bank’s long-standing partnership with the Government of Egypt and its strong support for the country’s reform agenda.” In addition to advancing the country’s green development, “the Kom Ombo project is also contributing to the sustainability of a sector that is essential for Egypt’s competitiveness and industrial development. More immediately, the recovery from COVID-19 will benefit from an efficient and sustainable energy sector,” she added.

Egypt is one of the founding members of the African Development Bank Group. Since starting lending operations in 1974, the Bank Group has financed over 100 operations in Egypt across several sectors.

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About the African Development Bank Group: The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information visit: www.AfDB.org.

About ENGIE: Our group is a global reference in low-carbon energy and services. Together with our 170,000 employees, our customers, partners and stakeholders, we are committed to accelerate the transition towards a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally-friendly solutions. Inspired by our purpose (“raison d’être”), we reconcile economic performance with a positive impact on people and the planet, building on our key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to our customers. Turnover in 2020: 55.8 billion Euros. The Group is listed on the Paris and Brussels stock exchanges (ENGI) and is represented in the main financial indices (CAC 40, DJ Euro Stoxx 50, Euronext 100, FTSE Eurotop 100, MSCI Europe) and non-financial indices (DJSI World, DJSI Europe and Euronext Vigeo Eiris – World 120, Eurozone 120, Europe 120, France 20, CAC 40 Governance).

4 March 2021: Husk Power Systems, (huskpowersystems.com), the leading rural energy company operating renewable minigrids in Asia and Africa, today announced that it registered 90% growth in revenue in 2020 compared to the previous year, while more than quadrupling its commercial business customers.

“In the face of a pandemic and a global economic downturn, Husk Power and its customers not only weathered these challenging times, but saw record growth that positions the company for an even stronger year ahead,” said CEO Manoj Sinha. “In 2021, we are forecasting 125% revenue growth and expect to become the first minigrid company to become operationally profitable on an annual basis. To continue growth at a CAGR of 100% in 2022 and beyond, Husk will raise $50 million in equity and $60 million in debt this year.”

In 2019, well before Covid-19 hit, Husk Power had already put in place a comprehensive resilience plan to deal with unexpected externalities such as flooding, supply chain disruptions and adverse government actions. The plan involved identifying secondary sources of revenue, hiring additional staff to cover unexpected events, acquiring distressed projects during the pandemic, and diversifying its supply chain for a variety of components. 

The planning paid off. While average revenue per user (ARPU) of the minigrid industry remains low in Africa, at under $5.00 average across all customer categories, including households and small businesses, according to the Africa Minigrid Developers Association (AMDA), Husk Power’s ARPU by comparison is more than twice the industry average, Sinha said. The company averaged 16% compounded annual growth in ARPU from 2017-2020, while ARPU growth in Q4 2020 was 22% compared to the same quarter in 2019.

Husk Power ended 2020 with more than 5,000 small business customers, 300% growth over 2019, and expects that number to surpass 12,500 over the next 12 months.

Board Chairman Brad Mattson stated: “Husk proved in 2020 that it can prosper no matter how negative the business environment. It has already grown its asset base by 10x in just over two years, and is ready to scale another 10x to 1,000 minigrids. The Board has full confidence in the company’s leadership to secure the next round of funding and become the industry’s first profitable minigrid company.”

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About Husk Power Systems: Founded in 2008, Husk Power Systems is an energy technology company that accelerates access to clean, modern and affordable electricity in Africa and Asia by developing and operating renewable energy minigrids. Its customer-centric service matches the growing needs of households, businesses, and community services. The company’s grid-compatible solution also supports national electrification plans. For more information visit: huskpowersystems.com.

4 March 2021: A new report from Efficiency for Access offers the first comprehensive analysis of efficient motor applications in off-grid and weak grid appliance markets. Appliances using permanent magnet (PM) motors use 22-42% less energy than those using conventional alternating current (AC) motors. These savings deliver significant benefits to consumers and growth opportunities to the market.

A household switching from conventional AC motor appliances to PM motor appliances will save 30% in the net cost of their solar energy system, even after accounting for a 20% price premium, the report finds. When coupled with higher-capacity PV panels, the energy savings from PM motor appliances would enable a household to charge a 2- or 3-wheeled vehicle and virtually eliminate its operating cost.

In addition, PM motor appliances have the potential to drive greater sales of solar energy systems and appliances in off- and weak-grid markets. By using PM motors, product suppliers can offer higher-functioning products with expanded features (e.g., quieter washing machines and fans, and improved low voltage operation to allow solar water pumps to deliver better performance on overcast days). Finally, PM motor appliances are more reliable than conventional appliances, an important attribute for appliances designed for use in off-grid or rural environments. Together, these unique features can improve consumer satisfaction in off- and weak-grid markets and drive greater willingness to pay for better-performing appliances.

Despite their potential, PM motors are not yet the prevailing motor technology used in most appliances. Fifty-seven percent of the appliance types assessed in South Asia and 71% of those assessed in Sub-Saharan Africa have a market penetration rate of less than 50%. However, current sales data indicate PM motors have the potential to gain increasing market share by 2025, with the largest projected growth in solar water pumps, refrigerators/deep freezers and 2- and 3-wheeled vehicles.

To ensure the adoption of PM motor appliances in off- and weak grid markets, additional steps can be taken to drive technology innovation and incentivise their use. According to the report, efforts to standardise product designs, leverage local manufacturing, provide incentives/subsidies and increase awareness of the benefits of PM motor appliances can help drive additional demand and help PM motor appliances scale over the long term.

To learn more about PM motor benefits, current market barriers, and opportunities to catalyse growth, download the full report.

ABOUT THE REPORT: The Benefits of Permanent Magnet Motors: Efficiency Opportunities in Off- and Weak Grid Markets was developed by pManifold in collaboration with CLASP and the Energy Saving Trust on behalf of Efficiency for Access.

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About Efficiency for Access: Efficiency for Access is a global coalition working to promote high performing appliances that enable access to clean energy for the world’s poorest people. It is a catalyst for change, accelerating the growth of off-grid appliance markets to boost incomes, reduce carbon emissions, improve quality of life and support sustainable development.

Efficiency for Access consists of 15 Donor Roundtable Members, 10 Programme Partners, and more than 30 Investor Network members. Current Efficiency for Access Coalition members have programmes and initiatives spanning 44 countries and 22 key technologies. The Efficiency for Access Coalition is coordinated jointly by CLASP, an international appliance energy efficiency and market development specialist not for-profit organisation, and Energy Saving Trust, which specialises in energy efficiency product verification, data and insight, advice and research. For more information visit: https://efficiencyforaccess.org/.