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- African countries embrace renewables for water security
African countries embrace renewables for water security
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Senegal has partnered with Saudi-based ACWA Power, a leading company in energy transition and water desalination, to develop West Africa's largest water desalination plant to be powered by renewables. The project is expected to cost $800 million and will be delivered in two phases. Full commercial operations are expected by 2031. |
The Grande-Côte Project will get its green electricity from SENELEC, Senegal's national utility company. It will be one of the few large-scale desalination plants globally to run completely on renewable energy.
Renewables continue their march to conquer traditional industries in Africa, including mining. Greater reliability with the addition of battery storage now meets baseload demand.
Our take: Renewables can provide desalinated water at competitive rates… Read more (2 min)
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved $202 million for Rwanda’s energy sector. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will contribute an additional $101 million. The joint $303 million under the Result-Based Financing (RBF II) program aims to modernise grids, expand clean energy access and support productive use of energy. |
Results-Based Financing, where disbursements are tied to verified outcomes, is a shift toward accountability in energy projects, ensuring that funds directly translate into measurable impact.
Similar models are being tested in Nigeria (Nigeria Electrification Project) and Ethiopia (Ethiopia Electrification Program), where disbursements are contingent on metered connections or renewable capacity additions.
Our take: Multilaterals such as AfDB and AIIB are prioritising RBF to curb corruption and inefficiency… Read more (2 min)
French multinational energy developer EDF hired 150 staff in the past year, bringing the total number of employees in Africa to 576. The company operates in at least twelve African countries, including those leading in renewable adoption, such as South Africa, Morocco and Egypt. This is based on LinkedIn data for senior staff captured by Renewables Rising. |
EDF’s sales team, a critical driver of revenue generation, expanded by 12 members over the last year, bringing its current total to 40 employees.
The renewables job market in Africa is expanding rapidly, going beyond serving single sectors to supporting utility-scale projects. This shift is intensifying competition, especially for specialised roles.
Our take: EDF's revenue and its backing by the French government mean it can attract top talent… Read more (2 min)


Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency signs MoU to expand access to sustainable electricity across unserved and underserved communities in Ekiti State
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Tony Tiyou, Founder and CEO of Renewables in Africa (RiA), says, “The difference between a project that gets funded and one that doesn’t often comes down to one critical factor: a well-prepared data room.”