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Israel’s Energiya Global will invest $1bn over four years in renewable energy projects under a memorandum of understanding signed on 2 June by the Israeli government and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) as part of a diplomatic drive to woo African support. A statement from the investment platform, sister company to Gigawatt Global, said projects would be built across the 15 Ecowas member states.

Office National de l’Electricité et de l’Eau Potable (ONEE) has issued a general procurement notice for the supply of materials, equipment and consultancy services for the major overhaul of a series of dams and hydropower facilities. The tendered works are part of a programme with a total estimated cost of about €35m ($39m) planned by ONEE to extend the lifespan of its hydropower plants and enhance their production and efficiency, as well as improve safety and climate resilience at various dams.

The Energy Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy is seeking expressions of interest for a review and analysis of wind and solar data and capacity building. The project will be funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) via the Energy Sector Support Project. The study aims to promote the development of wind and solar energy resources by creating a reliable and detailed information database for the formulation of new renewable projects.

Tower Resources has completed the sale of its Comet Petroleum subsidiary to Frederik Dekker’s Red Rio Petroleum. Red Rio is purchasing Comet for a cash consideration of £1, future contingent payments and a royalty interest of 10% over future production revenue from Comet’s three blocks in the disputed Western Sahara.Dekker is a longstanding promoter of the hydrocarbons potential of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). Last year, his Hague and London Oil (Halo) acquired Premier Oil’s assets in the territory (AE 327/12).

B2Gold Corporation has given Caterpillar and Barloworld a contract to supply 7MW of solar power at the Otjikoto mine, 70km north of Otjiwarongo in the Otjozondjupa region. Cat photovoltaic solar modules will be used to reduce reliance on a heavy fuel oil plant used to power the mining facility. Barloworld is supplying engineering, procurement and construction services for the project. Installation of the system is under way, with completion of the project expected in early 2018.

Italy’s Enel Green Power has begun building its 75MW Pulida solar photovoltaic power plant in Free State, awarded during REIPPP3. The project is expected to generate around 150GWh/yr. It is owned by Enel (52.7%), Shanduka Group (20%), Shanduka Black Umbrellas BBBEE Trust (15%) and the Bathopele Letsemeng Community Trust (12.3%). The engineering, procurement and construction and operations and maintenance contractor is Erigenix, a consortium of Enertronica (51%), APE (19%), Shanduka Solar Energy 1 (20%), ICI (6%) and Sizagraph (4%).

The collapse of a tunnel has shut down the 420MW Gibe II dam a month after it opened. Construction contractor Salini Costruttori said an “unforeseen geological event” had provoked a cave-in and a huge rock fall involving about 15 metres of the 26km headrace tunnel.

The Agence Sénégalaise d’Electrification Rurale invites expressions of interest by 10 October from consultants to assist with the planning, procurement and supervision of a rural electrification project to supply 177 villages with mini solar PV plants.

The Ministry of Energy is implementing a programme to provide up to 50% grant financing for rural dwellers to purchase solar home systems and solar lanterns.

Developer Gigawatt Global has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Energy and Mines for a 7.5MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant. The company, which has an 8.5MW solar plant in neighbouring Rwanda, hopes the project will help fill the gap between supply and demand and reduce reliance on costly diesel. Burundi is set to receive power from the Ruzizi III and Ruzizi IV regional hydro schemes, but the 147MW Ruzizi III, from which Burundi will receive 49MW, is not expected to start up before 2020, with Ruzizi IV after that.

The government has signed a E50m ($67m) loan agreement with the European Investment Bank for the rehabilitation of the Mount Coffee hydro project. The 64MW facility on the St Paul River was built in 1966 and extensively damaged during Liberia’s civil war.

The Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe has reissued a tender for detailed feasibility studies and environmental and social impact assessments for the 50MW Rufaro solar photovoltaic plant and the 2.4MW Odzani hydropower project. Expressions of interest are now sought by 13 June. The tender was previously issued last year with a closing date of 22 October. The Rufaro solar project, which will be located on a 300ha site at Longlands Farm in Marondera in Mashonaland East Province, will be implemented in phases by Rufaro Solar Farm One, a licensed independent power producer.

Eswatini plans to issue a request for proposals “very, very soon” for a 40MW solar PV project, energy minister Peter Bhembe told the Africa Energy Indaba conference in Cape Town on 3-4 March. The ministry began prequalification for the project in June last year in an effort to reduce reliance on imports from South Africa. Bhembe said a 40MW biomass plant would follow. He said construction of the 10MW Lavumisa solar PV plant was going well and the plant is expected to begin operating in August.

Having emerged from its elections in May – the first since the death of prime minister Meles Zenawi, who dominated its politics in the last two decades – and with the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front remaining intact amid some cautious generational change, Ethiopia’s leadership is determined to accelerate openings to investment and consolidate the country’s position as the political and economic dominant force in the Horn of Africa. Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has surprised some observers by reinforcing his position at home, continuing the Meles legacy but in his own style; his government will continue to promote the ‘developmental state’ policies that have delivered 10%-plus annual growth in the last decade, to drive Ethiopia towards middle income status by 2025.

The Agence Française de Développement (AFD), acting on behalf of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, has invited expressions of interest by 19 February from consultants to carry out studies for the construction of a 25MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at Illoulofin, in Pobé municipality. The consultant will be required to prepare an environmental and social impact study, an environmental and social management plan and a resettlement and compensation action plan for the Defissol project.