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It is unlikely electric cars will come to dominate African roads for decades, but in the likes of Kenya and Benin battery-powered buses, motorbikes and industrial vehicles could have a radical impact on urban environments and commercial operations. Investors are lining up to support e-mobility projects in the most attractive markets, but in many jurisdictions the lack of capital, infrastructure and policy support and the high cost of vehicles are holding back what could be a revolution, write Tonderayi Mukeredzi and Jon Marks.

France-based infrastructure investor Meridiam has signed a 25-year concession with the government of Togo and EDF to finance, design, build and operate a 64MWp solar PV plant in Sokodé, Central Region.

The phase three expansion of Amea Power’s Blitta solar PV and battery energy storage plant in Togo was formally launched by President Faure Gnassingbé on 22 March. Blitta – officially named the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Solar Power Plant – was Amea’s first African project to be commissioned, in June 2021

While inflation and supply chain challenges have slowed the progress of many renewable projects, Amea Power has continued to expand its portfolio of solar and wind projects, with some 1.1GW of capacity operational or under construction, and a further 6GW under development. And it has big ambitions for green hydrogen and ammonia, the Dubai-based developer told Marc Howard.

Amea Power executive chairman and founder Hussain Al-Nowais in late February provided a detailed insight into 11 of the Dubai-based developer’s projects under development in African markets.

The World Bank Group (WBG) has launched a new $311m fund for renewables in Chad, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Togo.

Bboxx and Électricité de France (EDF) Togo have signed a €11m ($11.6m) loan agreement with the Off Grid Energy Access Fund (OGEF) to support the roll-out of off-grid solar energy to rural communities in Togo.

Dubai-based Amea Power has announced plans to increase operational capacity at the Blitta solar PV power plant in Togo.

It is more than a whisper: international institutions and private equity (PE) investors are again exploring major hydroelectric power (HEP) deals, after years during which environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns made big dams a problematic issue for development finance institutions (DFI) and other potential investors.

Preliminary work on the construction of two solar PV plants, one at Salimde near Sokodé in the Central region, and another at Kpalassi near Awandjélo in the Kara region is to start soon, according to local media reports, after two decrees were agreed by the cabinet on 16 June.

New financing for West Africa-focused hybrid solar PV project developer Daystar Power underlines the extent that commercial and industrial (C&I) markets are gaining traction with development finance institutions (DFIs) and others. Daystar Power has completed a $38m series B funding round led by Denmark’s Investment Fund for Developing Countries and including French impact infrastructure fund Stoa, French DFI Proparco – backed by a guarantee from the European Union under the African Renewable Energy Scale-Up facility (ARE Scale-Up) – and Morgan Stanley Investment Management.

The 47MW first phase of the Kékéli Gas project, involving a open cycle gas turbine, is expected to come online in May, François Xavier of Siemens told African Energy. A second 18MW combined cycle gas turbine is expected online in December.

Bboxx and French utility EDF have announced a partnership to distribute solar irrigation pumps in Togo. EDF affiliated company SunCulture will supply the pumps which will be integrated with Bboxx’s payment and management technology to allow the cost to be spread over time. Togo has had success attracting investment into its off-grid sector through the Cizo programme. Bboxx, which has head offices in Rwanda and London and operations across Africa and Asia, was the first solar home system (SHS) company to become part of the programme that aims to provide power to 300,000 households over five years. 

Dubai-based AMEA Power will begin commercial operation of its 50MW solar PV plant in Blitta in March, the company told African Energy. The plant is being built by a consortium of UAE’s Danway and India’s Jakson Solar. The project has moved quickly through development and construction despite the coronavirus pandemic. AMEA Power first visited Togo in February 2019 and signed a memorandum of understanding with the government to develop a 30MW plant a month later.

Siemens Energy has successfully delivered a SGT-800 gas turbine for the 65MW Kékéli combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant in the port area of Lomé. The turbine was built by the German energy engineering group in Finspång, Sweden, and shipped to Togo to form the core of the future CCGT plant, the company announced on 30 September.