SA and Egypt beat the solar competition

• South Africa's growth was mainly driven by the commercial and industrial sectors and the growing power-wheeling market, where energy companies set up the infrastructure and sell the energy to companies. Egypt's growth was mainly from utility-scale projects.

• Nigeria and Zambia saw the highest growth rates, mainly due to the energy challenges facing their countries. Nigeria's growth was driven by the need for alternatives to an unstable grid, while Zambia's was driven by severe load-shedding and government initiatives to diversify the energy mix.

• Our take: Utility-scale solar is booming in Africa, but energy companies must ensure their agreements include compensation for potential grid connection delays… Read more (2 min)

Could Africa manufacture its own solar panels?

• The project, titled "Resilient Renewable Energy Access Through Community-Driven Holistic Development in Perovskite Solar Module Manufacturing (REACH-PSM)," aims to increase energy access by producing efficient and sustainable solar modules locally.

• The funding will support the construction and operation of a new solar panel manufacturing facility in South Africa. This initiative aims to reduce reliance on imports, create jobs, and contribute to South Africa's renewable energy targets.

• Our take: African countries should aim to attract Chinese manufacturers rather than compete with them… Read more (2 min)

Rio Tinto mines go green in Madagascar

• This phase of the project will include the expansion of the solar farm by 6MW and the construction of a 19-turbine wind farm with a capacity of 16MW.

• Rio Tinto’s shift to green mining is expected to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 26,000 tonnes annually and decrease heavy fuel oil consumption by 8,500 tonnes per year. 

• Our take: The growing trend of decarbonising the mining sector is a lucrative opportunity for renewable energy providers… Read more (2 min)

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