Africa

SolarX Grand Challenge aims to promote entrepreneurship and innovation and discover local solutions to meet the energy gap through solar energy solutions in the African region.

The fifth assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) approved Solar Facility, a payment guarantee mechanism to mitigate risks associated with solar projects in Africa.

EKI Energy will invest up to INR 200 crore ($25 million) as an anchor investor in the fund with a deep focus on community development projects across remote locations in India and select countries in Africa, Asia and LATAM.

Venture capital investment in solar and energy storage companies in sub-Saharan Africa brings with it considerable risk, but also holds the promise of making an outsized impact in delivering clean energy access. KawiSafi Ventures Managing Director Amar Inamdar says that venture capital investment in frontier markets will be a key part of the “capital stack” required to pursue the joint goals of leapfrogging fossil fuel energy development in the continent and lighting up African lives.

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is overseeing bids from prospective contractors to supply, install and commission solar cold storage capacity in Senegal, Sudan, and Seychelles. Bidding is also open for two 2 MT systems in Djibouti.

The Indian multinational EPC contractor has been awarded significant power transmission and distribution contracts in Ladakh and Ayodhya, in addition to overseas projects in Saudi Arabia, Africa and Thailand.

‘One Sun One World One Grid’ is a global supergrid project proposed by India for seamless sharing of renewable energy resources among countries. The inception workshop was attended by more than 160 experts and discussed the roadmap of the project.

Bihar-based Husk Power Systems—which operates more than 100 mini-grids in India and Africa—recorded a 90% year-on-year growth in revenues and quadrupled business customers to 5000+. It expects the growth momentum to continue in 2021, with a 125% rise in revenues. 

The selected applicants are required to execute projects across categories like solar-powered cold storage, solar water pumps, solar-powered reverse-osmosis water systems and off-grid solar systems for primary health care centers on a turnkey basis. The work includes engineering, supply, erection, commissioning along with maintenance support for three years.

The new billion-dollar investment is aimed at scaling distributed renewable energy across developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.