Q&A: CrossBoundary Energy bets on Africa’s major power consumers with renewables

• CrossBoundary Energy (CBE) is positioning itself to capture Africa’s commercial and industrial (C&I) market, which represents about 70% of the continent’s electricity demand, according to Mr Joubert.

• He is the President and Chief Investment Officer of CBE, where he oversees management, investor relations, fundraising and strategy. He co-founded the company in 2014 with Matthew Tilleard.

• Click here to read more on the interview… Read time (6 min)

Zambia turns to blended financing to power rural communities 

• Blended financing, a mix of commercial and concessional funding, is becoming increasingly crucial to Africa’s electrification efforts, as it helps attract private capital and makes large-scale energy projects in rural areas financially viable.

• Several African power utilities have adopted this approach to expand rural electrification. Kenya, for example, stands out as a leading case, having connected at least 900,000 people through its rural electrification program.

• Our take: Beyond concessional funding, local financial institutions and pension funds should be engaged to finance projects… Read more (2 min)

Consumer view: This Nigerian entrepreneur fights power outages with solar

• A clear market need drove Omole’s decision to integrate solar: Customers were buying appliances but lacked reliable power. "I wanted to offer a complete solution," he says. "The appliance and the power to use it."

• His company  leverages its solar system as a "live showroom." When potential customers visit, they can see the system in action, which helps build confidence and simplifies their decision-making process. 

• Read the full article here… (2 min)