22 March 2021: Empower New Energy´s first solar energy project investment in Egypt has now been commissioned and is generating electricity for one of the country´s leading aluminium manufacturers, Intercairo Ltd. The project, a 495 kWp solar power plant, is installed at the factory´s roof top in Cairo´s industrial area. The power plant will enable the factory to cut CO2 emissions and energy costs substantially, secure jobs and contribute to Egypt´s renewable  energy goals.

The project is financed by Empower´s local project company and has been developed in partnership with Gree Solar, one of Egypt´s leading solar PV developers. Mr. Terje Osmundsen, Empower´s Founder and CEO, stated that “following our successful investments in Ghana and Nigeria, this first investment in Egypt further illustrates that Empower can deliver high-quality renewable energy projects for business users across the African continent”.

The project, constructed by Gree Solar in less than 6 weeks, will generate 859 658 kwh per year, which is equivalent to the electricity consumption of 540 people in Egypt. “Through projects like these, Gree and Empower deliver both cost savings and excellent environmental performance for industry clients in Egypt”, says Mr. Nick Blashill, Gree Solar´s CEO.

The Egyptian government plans to increase the supply of electricity generated from renewable energy sources from 11 % to 20% by 2022 and 42% by 2035. Deploying distributed solar PV directly connected to the end-users like Empowers investment for InterCairo, can contribute greatly to the targeted plan and curb CO2-emissions while at the same time reducing the need for large investments in the transmission network.

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About Empower New Energy (Empower): Empower New Energy is an award-winning impact investment company investing in small and medium-scale renewable energy projects across Africa through its investment vehicle Empower Invest. The investors in the fund include Norfund, ElectriFI and a group of private impact investors. Empower operates from its offices in Oslo, London, Nairobi and Accra, and through local partners in Nigeria amongst others. For more information visit: https://www.empowernewenergy.com/.

About Gree Solar: Gree Solar is a leading solar PV developer that specialises in developing rooftop and ground mounted solar PV for businesses in Egypt. The company is an Egyptian registered business with British engineers, management and installation team. It is highly endorsed by Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity for its wealth of experiences and skills in the solar energy field. For more information visit: https://www.greesolar.com.eg/.

About InterCairo Aluminium SAE: InterCairo Aluminium SAE is an Egyptian Shareholding company (S.A.E) under the investment Law with a capital of 200 million Egyptian pounds. It was established in 2001 and started production 2004. InterCairo works in the field of manufacturing Aluminum profiles and producing Aluminum alloys needed in many industries. For more information visit: https://www.intercairo.com/.

• Fund seeks to support entrepreneurs using renewable energy to start or diversify existing businesses

18 March 2021: The African Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) (www.AECFafrica.org) has today launched a US$1.2 million Innovation Fund to unlock the potential of renewable energy to create new business opportunities.

Businesses and entrepreneurs in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe can apply for funding. The fund is aimed at strengthening market readiness of emerging innovations, as well as secure financial, technical, and networking support for taking existing proven prototypes to scale.

Solutions that reduce the negative impacts associated with the use of traditional cooking options at the household and institutional levels, build climate change resilience among communities and support productive uses such as water pumping, agro-processing, cooling, and refrigeration services are examples that the Fund seeks to support. In applying, businesses and entrepreneurs will need to demonstrate how their proposed innovations will transform livelihoods of low-income households through creation of jobs and diversification of livelihoods.

Under the Sustainable Development Goals, the world has set an ambitious target of ensuring universal access to reliable and sustainable energy by the end of the decade. But with half of the African continent without access to electricity, and two-thirds lacking access to clean cooking solutions, additional investment is needed to drive innovation and accelerate the uptake of modern energy.

The Innovation Fund builds on AECF’s Renewable Energy and Adaptation to Climate Technologies (REACT) initiative, which was launched to support the private sector develop and expand its clean energy technologies to Africa’s rural communities. The Fund will invest in technologies that meet market needs as well as accelerating the development of existing solutions to better serve African communities and not technologies in the prototype stage.

Chief Executive Officer of AECF, Victoria Sabula, said:

“The Innovation Fund is key to enhancing large scale transformation within local communities. Investing in affordable and accessible renewable energy solutions can create jobs, grow economies, and build more sustainable livelihoods. Through the fund, we hope to unearth new ways that renewable technology – be it domestic, communal, or commercial – can be used to generate income and create jobs,” she said.

The deadline for the applications is 29th April 2021.  

For more information visit: www.AECFafrica.org.

• The project, once operational in 2023, will avert the consumption of 46.8 billion litres of diesel per year in the south, cutting 80 megatons of CO2 emissions

16 March 2021: The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has committed $530 million to finance the construction of a 343 km, 400 kV central-south transmission line that will connect the north and south transmission grids in Angola and allow for the distribution of clean energy between the two regions.

The north of Angola has a surplus of more than 1,000 MW of mostly renewable power, whereas the south relies on expensive diesel generators, supported by government subsidies.

Transmission capacity will increase by 2,250 MW and eliminate the need for polluting, diesel-powered generators in southern provinces. The project, once operational in 2023, will avert the consumption of 46.8 billion litres of diesel per year in the south, cutting 80 megatons of CO2 emissions. The government of Angola will save more than $130 million per year in diesel subsidies.

The finance package, approved in December 2019 by the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank, consists of $480 million in financing from the Bank, along with $50 million from the Africa Growing Together Fund, a $2 billion facility sponsored by the People’s Bank of China and administered by the African Development Bank.

The funding covers the first phase of the Energy Sector Efficiency and Expansion Program (ESEEP) in Angola, which will assist the government to connect the country’s transmission grids and tackle limited operational capacity within the Angolan power distribution utility ENDE. Around 80% of residential customers in Angola are not metered, resulting in financial losses and reliance on government subsidies. As part of the ESEEP, 860,000 pre-paid meters will be installed and 400,000 new customers will be connected to the grid and effectively metered.

At the regional level, the ESEEP will be the first step to enabling a connection to the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP). The new transmission line will become the backbone for the distribution of power to the southern provinces of Angola and Namibia and will enable further power trading between countries in the region.

The funding follows two other recent Bank contributions to Angola’s energy sector strategy. In 2015, the Bank approved a $1 billion power sector reform loan for Angola, which resulted in the creation of an independent regulator and the unbundling of the sector into distribution, transmission and distribution companies.

Angola (https://bit.ly/30Qnf5o) has significantly improved capacity, operational efficiency, and sustainability of the electricity sector. In the period 2015-2019, Angola’s total installed capacity in renewable energy (http://bit.ly/30R7Lhq) rose from 1,017 MW to 2,763 MW, mainly through the improved exploitation of the country’s abundant hydropower.

12 March 2021: Liberia’s efforts to transform the lives of poor people have received a huge boost with financing approved today by the World Bank. Two new operations will increase access to sustainable, reliable and affordable energy, and boost economic recovery by providing employment opportunities and business skills training to vulnerable Liberians.

Funded by the International Development Association (IDA), these projects aims at improving Liberia’s economy and helping to build resilience for vulnerable households that are greatly at risk of falling into poverty due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Poverty remains widespread in Liberia and is now on the rise. An estimated 44% of Liberians were living with less than $2 a day in 2016 and is now projected to reach 52% in 2021. Access to healthcare, education, and basic utilities like energy, are also particularly low compared to the rest of the region.

“Given the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the economy and people’s livelihoods, improved energy access will  stimulate inclusive economic growth while support to the informal sector will help the most vulnerable Liberians to recover from the loss in incomes,” said Khwima Nthara, World Bank Country Manager in Liberia.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Liberia’s economy and people’s livelihoods and poses a major threat going forward. When the global pandemic emerged in early 2020, Liberia was already facing a challenging domestic and external environment. Weak consumption and declining output had caused the Liberian economy to contract by an estimated 2.3 percent in 2019 and a further 2.9 percent in 2020. According to the High-Frequency Phone Survey of Households conducted by the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services, more than 70 percent of households reported experiencing food shortage and increased food prices. This call for a comprehensive response focusing both on the need to protect the poor and vulnerable in the short term, as well as support economic recovery in the medium term.

“This is a demonstration of the Bank’s strong commitment to Liberia. The approved package of support will be a big boost to our Covid-19 recovery efforts and our vision to transform the economy through infrastructure development,” said Samuel D. Tweah Jr, Liberia’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning.

The support program includes the following:

The Liberia Electricity Sector Strengthening and Access Project (LESSAP) is the first project of a multi-phase programmatic approach (MPA) with a goal to provide sustainable, reliable, and affordable electricity to 632,500 Liberians.  The project will rehabilitate and expand electricity infrastructure and provide sustainable solutions for electricity access.  The LESSAP will target mainly two key areas - grid electrification in the greater Monrovia area and provide for a sustainable business model for scaling up renewable energy based mini-grids and stand-alone solar systems in remote areas.  It will also deliver off-grid solar electrification to about 200 health facilities in particular to help build resilience against COVID-19. The total financing envelope for the MPA is $180 million in IDA support with the first phase commitment of $44 million in IDA credit and IDA grant of $15 million.  The project also includes grant support of $2.5 million from the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and $2.7 million from Japan Policy and Human Resources Development Fund (PHRD), both of which will be administered by the World Bank.

The Recovery of Economic Activity for Liberian Informal Sector Employment Project (REALISE) will increase access to employment opportunities for some of the most vulnerable households in the informal sector who are at risk of falling deeper into poverty. The project will provide grants and business skills training to 4,000 vulnerable households to revive or start small businesses, as well as temporary employment and wages to 15,000 poor individuals, half of whom will be women. It will target low-income communities and poor families in Greater Monrovia. REALISE project will be implemented by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment, utilizing implementation capacities developed under the ongoing Liberia Youth Opportunities Project. The project will be financed through IDA concessional terms of $5 million credit and $5 million grant.

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About International Development Association:The International Development Association (IDA) is the World Bank’s fund for the poorest. Established in 1960, it provides grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 76 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. IDA resources help effect positive change in the lives of the 1.6 billion people living in the countries that are eligible for its assistance. Since its inception, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments are constantly on the rise and have averaged $21 billion over the past three years, with about 61% going to Africa.

12 March 2021: "We are announcing a new partnership with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), to scale access to LPG clean cooking services in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

As a next generation utility, we manufacture, distribute and finance decentralised solar powered systems in developing countries – and we have been leveraging our innovative IoT technology to expand access to vital utilities. Bboxx Pulse®, our IoT technology-enabled comprehensive management platform, means we can remotely monitor, manage and deliver clean cooking solutions in a distributed and scalable model.

We have already positively impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the DRC with access to solar energy and now clean cooking facilities too, all available on a Pay-As-You-Go basis using mobile money. Following this latest financing of half a million dollars made up of a loan and a grant from UNCDF, we will scale-up our operations and bring our tried and tested LPG clean cooking services to thousands of people in the DRC, specifically targeting Goma, Bukavu, and Lubumbashi.

Only 4% of the DRC population has access to clean cooking facilities, which is a major stumbling block in meeting UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 (UN SDG 7). While UN SDG 7 includes access to clean and affordable cooking for everyone, we have found that this aspect is often overlooked.

This comes as the World Bank has found that lack of clean cooking services costs the world over $2.4 trillion a year due to the negative impacts of using wood and charcoal on people’s health, gender equality, the environment and lost economic opportunities.

Our financing with UNCDF shows significant momentum in our clean cooking activity. It’s a relevant part of our financing structure development as it complements the grant that we secured at the end of last year from the U.S. Agency for International Development to scale our clean cooking technology.

In addition, we are working with Trafigura to bring together our complementary expertise to fast-track progress on clean cooking access in Africa. On a global scale, we are also a founding member of the recently launched LPG4SDG7 Coalition, committed to accelerating the adoption of LPG as a cleaner alternative to help the four billion people who lack access to clean cooking globally.

It is encouraging to see the global community increasingly recognise the urgent need to take action on clean cooking. We hope that by forging partnerships with major organisations like the UNCDF, we can raise more awareness of this important issue, accelerate our impact and change even more lives for the better.

Keep an eye out for our latest updates, as we continue to transform lives and unlock potential through access to clean energy."

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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 500,000 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 UNCDF: The UN Capital Development Fund makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries (LDCs). UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development through three channels: (1) inclusive digital economies; (2) local development finance; and (3) investment finance.

10 March 2021: Ifarm360, a Kenyan crowdfunding platform for farmers, Ennos, a Swiss solar firm and Epicenter Africa, a local solar distributor, have partnered to support smallholder farmers with solar technology in a bid to accelerate food security, climate action and end poverty.

ifarm 360, through its crowdfunding platform and farmer network, will mobilize resources to support the installation of over 1000 solar kits in the first phase of the project. Ennos, a Swiss-based solar technology provider, is working on design and technology that will ensure that the 1000 solar kits are working perfectly for the Kenyan farmers. Epicenter Africa, a renowned solar and energy solutions provider and distributor will support local farmers with access, installation and technology support for the solar kits.

With the partnership, the firms aim to help smallholder farmers in Kenya that struggle with the high cost of acquisition, lack of availability, and lack of a sustainable financing model. Ifarm360 aims to empower farming as a business by linking smallholder farmers to affordable finance from crowd investors to help improve farm production. Ifarm360 also helps users supervise production and create a sustainable revenue-sharing model for its users.

According to Derrick Gakuu, CTO of Ifarm360, “Solar technology is a life-changing technology that will transform the lives of smallholder farmers. With these technologies, farmers can now farm up to 3 crop cycles a year. This partnership will empower farmers to produce more, climb out of poverty and adopt environmentally friendly farm practices.”

This is a welcome partnership as over 90% of Kenyan farmers heavily rely on rain-fed agriculture or use outdated farm irrigation methods like manual flooding and furrows. Only 4% of Africa’s arable land is under irrigation compared to 60% in Asia. Solar irrigation technology offers the greatest hope for these farmers. With a solar kit, a small-scale farmer can farm up to 3 cycles a year, increase yields by 300%+ and earn up to $14,000 (Ksh. 1,400,000) in annualized household income.

9 March 2021: As part of its strategic focus on energy access and clean energy for Nigerians, Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund (NIDF), the first listed infrastructure debt fund in Nigeria and Africa, has announced the successful financial close for the construction of 22 mini-grids being developed by Havenhill Synergy Limited (Havenhill) under the Nigeria Electrification Project.

With this development, NIDF will provide Havenhill long-term financing of N1.8 billion (c. $4.6 million) to part-finance the roll out of these mini-grids, that would connect 70,000 people along with other establishments in the host communities to clean, reliable energy supply.

Recent data obtained from National Bureau of Statistics revealed that access to reliable electricity in Nigeria is relatively low with a rural electrification rate still hovering around 39%.

In 2019, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also estimated that a lack of access to reliable electricity costs Nigeria an estimated US$29 billion a year.

The inability of the owners/operators of main electricity grid to connect rural communities and provide them with reliable power supply has further amplified the need for decentralised energy systems and other clean alternatives.

Havenhill is addressing these challenges by deploying smart solar mini-grids to commercially viable rural communities across the country.

Speaking on the completion of the groundbreaking deal, the CEO of NIDF, Anshul Rai, noted that it was quite fulfilling to note that NIDF is playing a significant role in improving energy access in Nigeria.

“NIDF prides itself in being the leader in financing of clean energy and energy access projects in Nigeria and thus contribute to the achievement of UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. In multiple projects such as Havenhill, our unitholders can see their capital in action and generating not only financial returns but also making a strong, positive impact on the daily lives of their fellow citizens”, Rai said.

He disclosed that financing of the project will be funded from the fund’s recently concluded Series-7 capital raise, which also involved the participation of African Development Bank (AfDB).

“With the support of AfDB, NIDF is also implementing a comprehensive Environmental & Social Management System for the fund and also supporting its borrowers adopt the international best practices in the area of environmental and social sustainability” he added.

On his part, Director – Energy Financial Solutions, Policy & Regulation, African Development Bank, Wale Shonibare, described the investment in the project as a welcome development that would assist in complementing its role to the sovereign loan offered to the Federal Government of Nigeria which is targeted at supporting the implementation of the Nigeria Electrification Project.

While expressing his satisfaction with the outcome, the CEO of Havenhill, Olusegun Odunaiya stated that it was quite exciting to have NIDF as a long-term partner for the mini-grids roll-out project.

According to Odunaiya, the NIDF team’s commercial savviness has enabled it to implement a highly innovative financing structure that fully addresses the peculiarities of the project and, therefore, ensure its long-term success.

“This milestone serves as a renewal of Havenhill’s commitment to powering Nigeria’s most remote communities and delivering last-mile electricity connections. These mini-grids will catalyse economic activities in host communities, serve healthcare facilities, and overall deliver a transformative multiplier effect. I appreciate the efforts and grit of our team in solving one of the most important problems in the world today”, he added.

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About NIDF: The Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund (“NIDF” or “the Fund”) is the first listed infrastructure debt fund in Nigeria and Africa. NIDF is a close-ended fund, domiciled in Nigeria and denominated in Naira. The Fund is structured to enable investors access infrastructure asset class, while providing benefits of predictable returns available from long-dated infrastructure debt investments.

About Havenhill: Havenhill Synergy Limited (Havenhill) is a clean-tech utility company committed to improving energy access in rural and urban Nigeria using clean energy sources. In rural areas, Havenhill deploys smart solar mini-grids to commercially viable off-grid rural communities. In urban areas, Havenhill helps businesses (like factories, large farms etc) reduce their energy cost and provide them with more reliable energy access through its Commercial & Industrial (C&I) solar offering. Havenhill is currently pioneering a new structure for powering healthcare facilities through the electrification of 23 healthcare facilities under its Energizing Healthcare Initiative in partnership with USAIDs’ Power Africa Off-Grid Project (PAOP) and United States African Development Foundation (USADF).

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/.

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.

• 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).

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.

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).

• 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.

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..

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.