We post here the relevant reports for the power sector in Africa. Feel free to join our efforts and share us any other you may have found. We'd be glad to add them to the list. Just sent an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Publication date: 2016, June
Author: DLA Piper
Description: In this short paper, we discuss the rise of the corporate green agenda in the context of the outcomes of the Paris Agreement; increasing interest in renewable energy; and the rise of corporate power purchase agreements (“Corporate PPAs”).
Publication date: 2016, May
Author: EY
Description: As solar, wind and storage technologies continue their remorseless — if not breathtaking — decline in cost, grid parity is set to wreak havoc on the century-old utility business model.
Publication date: 2016, May
Author: Orrick
Description: This article provides an overview of (1) contract structures for corporate PPAs, (2) key issues that arise in negotiating corporate PPAs and (3) issues and trends in corporate PPAs in certain individual U.S. markets.
Publication date: 2016, May
Author: pwc
Description: The report forecasts a major transformation of the electricity sector in the period ahead. Angeli Hoekstra, Power & Utility Specialist for PwC Africa, pointed out: ’All or nothing’ approaches that focus primarily on the national grid are increasingly out of step to what is now possible in power technology. Advances in technology are rapidly changing the options available beyond the grid.
Publication date: 2016, May
Author: GVEP International
Description: Crowdfunding for energy access refers to the donation, reward, debt and equity campaigns launched each year by social enterprises, charities and other organisations raising capital for off-grid energy projects. This market is currently very small, with $3.4 million raised for projects in Africa and Asia in 2015. Debt campaigns currently dominate the market, accounting for 75% of funds raised and 95% of campaigns. Much of this is for micro-loans. Recent shifts in solar crowdfunding and the emergence of in-house financing across energy access business models will continue to alter the crowdfunding landscape significantly.
Publication date: 2016, April
Author: MPRA
Description: African countries still lack a huge amount of energy that is necessary to increase economic growth, alleviate poverty, and sustain economic development (energy insecurity). Public investment in energy sector is still limited to supply household and private sector with their energy needs. Only private investment in renewable energy can play a major role in filling this gap. By applying SWOT analysis, this study illustrates the major threats and weaknesses (challenges) faced by the private investment in renewable energy sector in Africa vis-à-vis the main opportunities and strengths (benefits) these investments can get. Finally, it ends with some suggested solutions that can help at improving conditions of this vital sector and attracting more private investments to it.
Publication date: 2016, April
Author: Deloitte
Description: This paper addresses how and why multiple regression analyses are a good supplement to more comprehensive cash flow models when valuing solar PV farm assets. Our analysis has been performed on the basis of transactions in the solar PV industry. Through our analyses of transactions in the solar PV industry we find that installed capacity, construction capacity and capacity in development pipeline affect the enterprise value of solar PV assets significantly.
Publication date: 2016, April
Author: Deloitte
Description: This paper addresses how and why multiple regression analyses of wind farm transactions are a good supplement to more comprehensive cash flow models when valuing wind farm assets. Our analyses of onshore wind farm transactions have led to the conclusion that installed capacity, capacity under construction and capacity in late stage pipeline affect the enterprise value of transactions significantly. Additionally we have concluded that investors in wind farm assets do not assign any significant value to capacity in early stage pipeline. Our analysis of offshore wind transactions leads to similar results. However, not surprisingly, we see more value in each stage in offshore projects.
Publication date: 2016, February
Author: EY
Description: The unrelenting march toward cost-effective subsidy-free energy is putting ever greater pressure on utilities, challenger businesses and investors to redefine how we generate and consume energy in the years ahead.
Publication date: 2016, January
Author: Overseas Development Institute
Description: To understand the impacts of many different solar household systems it is useful to categorise them. Categorisation can be based on the technical specifications of the systems and on the services they provide, or both of these factors.
Publication date: 2016, January
Author: McKinsey & Company
Description: If the world is serious about meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, including climate goals, accelerating the flow of private capital into sustainable infrastructure has to be part of the answer to building and sustaining urban, transport, water, and energy systems that the world needs. This report examines how to make that possible.
Publication date: 2016
Author: World Bank
Description: The objective of this study is to evaluate the experience of IPPs and identify lessons that can help African countries attract more and better private investment. At the core of this analysis is a reflection on whether IPPs have in fact benefited Sub-Saharan Africa, and how they might be improved.The objective of this study is to evaluate the experience of IPPs and identify lessons that can help African countries attract more and better private investment. At the core of this analysis is a reflection on whether IPPs have in fact benefited Sub-Saharan Africa, and how they might be improved.The analysis is based primarily on in depth case studies, carried out in five countries, including Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda, which not only have the most numerous but also among the most extensive experience with IPPs.
Publication date: 2016
Author: REN21
Description: This year’s report clearly demonstrates the enormous potential of renewables. However, to accelerate the transition to a healthier, more secure and climate-safe future, we need to build a smarter, more flexible system that maximises the use of variable sources of renewable energy and that accommodates both centralised and decentralised as well as community-based generation.
Publication date: 2016
Author: UNEP
Description: The traditional model of rural electrification in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) mainly involves donor and government-supported programs. Recently, however, a rapid and significant increase has occurred in the sale of pico-scale solar products throughout SSA. This development is driven by an increasing number of private firms supplying pico-scale solar systems to customers, on a commercial basis, in order to serve their electricity and lighting needs.
Publication date: 2016
Author: AREI
Description: Africa Renewable Energy Initiative: Transitioning Africa to a renewable energy powered future with access for all.
Publication date: 2016
Author: EY
Description: This Q2 2016 edition of Power transactions and trends reviews quarterly deal activity within the power and utilities (P&U) sector and forecasts the trends that will shape future mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
Publication date: 2016
Author: Veolia Institute
Description: This isue of FACTS deals with a social and technological revolution that is still in its early days: decentralized energy in developing countries. The full impact of this revolution is yet to be determined, but it is sure to be profound. In a conservative scenario, which would already represent a great success, this revolution would ba a phase of acceleration towards the centralized model of industrial countries. In a more optimistic scenario, the revolution would create (notably in Africa, which is the ideal region for such) a new energetic model that is the complete opposite of centralized models. And taking the scenario to its extreme, the revolution would spread to industrialized countries, thus becoming a new example of "reverse innovation".
Publication date: 2016
Author: AfDB
Description: This paper, and subsequent papers in the Green Mini-Grid Market Development Programme (GMG MDP) document series, analyses the issues involved with developing green mini-grids for rural electrification. These are mini-grids powered by renewable energy resources – solar radiation, wind, hydropower or biomass – either exclusively or in combination with diesel generation.
Publication date: 2016
Author: The Economist
Description: “Power Up: Delivering renewable energy in Africa” is an Economist Intelligence Unit report on renewable energy infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on solar and wind. Findings are based on desk research and expert interviews and the report includes fieldwork in Nigeria, Zambia and Uganda.
Publication date: 2016
Author: World Bank
Description: Examination of the financial viability of power sectors in 39 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa shows that only two countries have a financially viable power sector, and only 19 cover operating expenditures. Quasi-fiscal deficits average 1.5 percent of gross domestic product. If operational inefficiencies can be eliminated, power sectors in 13 countries become financially viable. In the remaining two-thirds of the countries, tariffs will likely have to be increased even after attaining benchmark operational efficiency. Analysis of power tariffs in another 39 African countries shows that about half of them have small first blocks with low lifeline rates. Data from national household expenditure surveys in 22 African countries show that the subsistence level of grid electricity is affordable to the vast majority of the population in many countries with low rates of access. However, benefits of progressive tariffs are compromised by the widespread practice of multiple connections, prompted by high costs of grid connection. Examination of the sex of the head of household shows that female-headed households are not disadvantaged in electricity use once income and the place of residence (urban or rural) are taken into account. However, female-headed households tend to be poorer, making it all the more important to focus on helping the poor.
Nairobi, KENYA