The Africa Energy Forum 2020 
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| African Power Platform - Newsletter #17 | ||||||||
Week 7, 2020 | |||||||||
EDITORIAL | |||||||||
Dear reader, Welcome to the seventeenth African Power Platform (APP) newsletter. After a calm period on the utility scale space in Africa end last year, 2020 is showing more activity, with tenders and projects being announced across the continent covering multiple technologies. An IFC sponsored Scaling Solar program is open in Togo. The DFIs are working on comprehensive financing packages for supporting the energy transition in Africa, with billions of dollars ready for disbursement during the coming years. We are also entering the events season, with relevant gatherings for the power sector professionals lined up in the coming months. That's all for this week. Keep well, keep energized. Meanwhile, the APP keeps here, serving the power industry in Africa.
Jorge Lascas Founder & Managing Director | |||||||||
FROM THE PRESS | |||||||||
NAMIBIA: Government gives land for 44 MW Diaz Wind Farm. Read the article >> The independent power producer (IPP) Diaz Wind Power has obtained a plot of land for the construction of its wind farm near the city of Lüderitz. The land was granted by the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism. | |||||||||
UGANDA: Increase in Solar Energy Utilisation Spurs Rural Growth. Read the article >> Recent statistics show an increase in the utilization of solar products among Ugandans which offers hope for the realization of the government's rural electrification strategy and plan (RESP) that aims to increase rural electricity access to 26 per cent by 2022 through a mix of grid and off-grid services. | |||||||||
AFRICA: Filatex to supply 150 MWp of solar energy in four countries. Read the article >> Filatex Energie, a company based in Tananarive, Madagascar, will set out to conquer the African continent in 2020. It plans to produce 150 MWp of solar energy in four East and West African countries. | |||||||||
NIGERIA: Nigeria to adopt standards for renewable energy. Read the article >> The Nigerian National Technical Committee on Electrical and Electronics has recommended 12 systems standards for renewable energy and hybrid systems. The standards according to a statement issued on Saturday by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria were carefully considered and found relevant to the nation’s needs. | |||||||||
MOROCCO: Morocco's ports authority opts for energy efficiency. Read the article >> Morocco's ports authority (ANP) and the Moroccan Agency for sustainable energy (MASEN) signed a cooperation agreement to promote the use of renewable energies in Morocco's ports. | |||||||||
AFRICA: Progress in rolling out of national power grids has stalled across Africa. Read the article >> Three years ago the African Development Bank launched an initiative to speed up the supply of electricity in Africa in 2016. Launching the New Deal on Energy for Africa, the bank’s President Akinwumi Adesina, remarked: "Africa is tired of being in the dark". | |||||||||
KENYA: Garissa solar plant soars Kenya’s renewable endeavour to new high. Read the article >> The Garissa Solar Plant has increased the share of renewable energy to the grid to 93%, setting the stage for cheaper electricity in Kenya. | |||||||||
AFRICA: AfDB Sponsored Off-Grid Energy Access Fund Reaches Final Equity Close With Partner Contributions. Read the article >> The Facility for Energy Inclusion's Off-Grid Energy Access Fund (FEI OGEF) has reached a final equity close with $59 million in committed equity capital and $36 million debt facilities, to support innovative, off-grid energy access companies. | |||||||||
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa to embrace off-grid generation. Read the article >> Africa’s richest nation will resort to allowing industry to generate its own power, to relieve pressure on beleaguered state utility Eskom amid load-shedding crisis. | |||||||||
ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe Power Utility in Talks With Afreximbank on Debt Plan. Read the article >> Zimbabwe’s state electricity utility is in talks with the African Export–Import Bank Ltd. to help clear $70 million of arrears it owes power producers in neighboring South Africa and Mozambique. | |||||||||
TUNISIA: Engie and Nareva plan to build a 120 MWp solar power plant in Gafsa. Read the article >> A consortium formed by the French company Engie and the Moroccan company Nareva has been chosen to build a photovoltaic solar power plant in the governorate of Gafsa. This installation will have a capacity of 120 MWp. | |||||||||
MALI: Solar photovoltaic farm project in Mali secures investment. Read the article >> PASH Global has acquired a 49.9% share in the solar photovoltaic farm project in Mali being developed by independent renewable energy power producer Akuo Energy. | |||||||||
NIGERIA: Electrifying Nigeria: could solar power one million households? Read the article >> Nigeria has launched a $75m fund to provide electricity to its citizens, with solar panel manufacturer Lumos planning to use the money to electrify one million households over the next five years. We consider the impacts of this ambitious proposal. | |||||||||
SOUTH AFRICA: Solar and battery systems power up South African shacks. Read the article >> In many small, rural settlements in South Africa, residents live in metal shacks with no connections to the regional electricity grid. But now in one of these settlements, lights are shining. | |||||||||
KENYA: Kenya begins construction of Africa’s first hybrid renewable energy facility. Read the article >> Kenya, in partnership with Windlab East Africa, has began the construction of Africa’s first hybrid renewable energy facility in Meru County. The mega project will combine complementary wind and solar generation with battery storage. | |||||||||
GHANA: New impetus for Ghana’s solar ambitions. Read the article >> The government has announced 17 MW of utility scale solar is under construction and the Ministry of Energy is seeking consultants to help promote mini-grids and solar net metering. | |||||||||
KENYA: Kenya in top five clean energy investors. Read the article >> Kenya is the fifth leading investor in clean energy among developing countries, a new survey has shown. | |||||||||
LIBERIA: Liberia gets $35 million in renewable energy funds. Read the article >> Liberia’s clean-energy plans are getting a boost from the African Development Fund, which has approved a $34.7 million grant and loan package to improve renewable energy access and promote investment in the West African nation. | |||||||||
BURKINA FASO: Urbasolar is building a 33 MW solar power plant in Pâ. Read the article >> The French company Urbasolar has recently started construction work on a solar power plant in the municipality of Pâ. It is the second largest solar power plant in Burkina Faso, with a capacity of 33 megawatts (MW). | |||||||||
PRESS RELEASES | |||||||||
Bright Perspectives for Solar Power in Africa? Read the article >> The difficulties involved in implementing infrastructure projects in most Sub-Saharan African countries are well-known: political risks, cost of mobilizing capital, weakness of existing electric grids, inadequate assets management capacities, insufficient training of local authorities, insufficiencies with the regulatory frameworks, lack of planning, liquidity shortages in the financial sector, financial robustness of the off-takers, etc. | |||||||||
New national policy targets geothermal energy usage Read the article >> Uganda has released a revised draft of the National Energy Policy, which seeks to replace the older one of 2002, by, among other things, embarking on strategies that can promote new forms of energy such as solar and geothermal power. | |||||||||
Rwanda to set up green bank to finance climate investments Read the article >> Government is set to facilitate the creation of a financial institution in Rwanda that will be solely dedicated to funding projects that promote climate change resilience. | |||||||||
FROM THE MEMBERS | |||||||||
Power modules which meet the latest EU ErP Lot 6 ecodesign specifications for standby and off mode for industrial and consumer products by Recom, are now available from Dengrove Electronic Components.
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The African Development Bank (AfDB) announced the approval of a USD-20-million (EUR 18m) investment in the Metier Sustainable Capital International Fund II, which injects capital in renewable and resource-efficient infrastructure projects in Southern Africa.
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Law firm Eversheds Sutherland has added Lance J. Phillips as a partner to its M&A and private capital teams in its Chicago office. Phillips joins from Skadden's corporate group in Chicago.
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First Solar, Inc. will report financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2019 and discuss its 2020 financial guidance and outlook after the market closes on Thursday, February 20, 2020.
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The African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI), a pan-African provider of credit and political risk insurance, has appointed Deepak Dave as chief risk officer.
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TENDERS | |||||||||
Submission deadline: 20 February 2020 | Category: Consultancy Country: Mauritania | Entity: World Bank Group
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Submission deadline: 24 February 2020 | Category: Consultancy Country: Chad | Entity: World Bank Group
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Submission deadline: 25 February 2020 | Category: Consultancy Country: Niger | Entity: World Bank Group
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Submission deadline: 27 February 2020 | Category: Construction Country: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo | Entity: African Development Bank
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Submission deadline: 10 March 2020 | Category: Construction Country: Benin | Entity: World Bank Group
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Submission deadline: 13 March 2020 | Category: Construction Country: Central African Republic | Entity: Water and Electricity Upgrading Project
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Submission deadline: 17 March 2020 | Category: Construction Country: Southern Africa | Entity: Electricity of Mozambique
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Submission deadline: 19 March 2020 | Category: Consultancy Country: Cape Verde | Entity: Luxembourg Agency for Development Cooperation (LuxDev)
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Submission deadline: 30 March 2020 | Category: IPP Country: Togo | Entity: Government of Togo
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UPCOMING WEBINARS | |||||||||
Date & Time: Tuesday, 18 February 2020 at 9:00 AM - 9:35 AM GMT | Organizer: IRENA Insights
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UPCOMING EVENTS | |||||||||
Date: 25 - 27 February 2020 | Location: Morocco
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Date: 18-19 March 2020 | Location: Lusaka, Zambia
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Date: 26 March 2020 | Location: The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
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FEATURED REPORT | |||||||||
Publication date: 2019, December | Author: IRENA Refugees and displaced people mostly depend on energy that is unsustainable and can harm their health and well-being. Sustainable energy based on renewables, in contrast, bridges the gap between humanitarian response and development, enhancing the well-being of displaced people and communities.
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JOBS | |||||||||
Published: 14 January 2020 | Location: Nairobi Description: Angaza’s technology empowers distributors to make life-changing products accessible and affordable to individuals in emerging markets, even those who live on less than $2 per day. With affordable access to livelihood necessities like solar lights and clean cookstoves, people without access to credit or traditional banking services can start on a path to financial inclusion.
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Published: 20 January 2020 | Location: Dakar, Senegal Description: The main objective of the Consumer Understanding & Credit Officer at Oolu is to maximize and monitor portfolio performance and growth. The successful applicant will develop Oolu’s understanding of its customer base and value proposition, using this understanding to formulate and implement portfolio improvement and growth initiatives centred primarily around pricing and credit scoring.
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Published: 24 January 2020 | Location: Kampala, Uganda Description: This position will be part of the Global Customer Experience team that is based in Kampala, Uganda, led by a Business Strategy Manager and working closely with multiple department heads/directors.
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Published: 7 February 2020 | Location: Uganda Description: The BrightLife Uganda CEO will drive BrightLife to long-term Solar Home System market leader status in Uganda.
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Published: 8 February 2020 | Location: Nairobi, Kenya Description: TTA is seeking a Senior Project Manager and Consultant to join the Africa Unit of TTA in Kenya. Under the supervision of the Africa Team Leaders, the Project Manager and Consultant will coordinate projects and develop innovative custom-consultancy services adapted to the project and Client needs. The nature of projects will be related to sustainable energy, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy access.
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JOIN THE AFRICAN POWER PLATFORM | |||||||||
If you want to join the African Power Platform and enjoy the full set of benefits visit our membership page or contact us This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | |||||||||
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