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The leak of briefing notes for COP28 president Sultan Al-Jaber just ahead of the summit’s opening in Dubai drew attention to the United Arab Emirate’s extensive energy dealings in key African economies, including Egypt and Kenya. Key players include renewables flagship Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and oil giant Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc).

The World Bank Group (WBG) is back in the Grand Inga game, more than seven years after it suspended funding for the first phase of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) mega-scheme. However, with elections due to be held on 20 December across most of the country (some conflict zones are excluded) it is highly unlikely that President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo will have a breakthrough to announce before the sceptical electorate cast their votes.

The M-Pesa Foundation Academy has commissioned a grid-tied solar PV system. The 630-panel plant is expected to reduce grid consumption by up to 60%.

Lagos-headquartered Nigerian Breweries has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with local commercial and industrial (C&I) developer Daystar Power Group for a solar PV and battery plant at its Lagos brewery and head office.

A solar PV and battery energy storage plant has been commissioned at Danzi, 18km north-west of the capital Bangui, according to the World Bank Group. The plant is a significant addition to CAR’s under-developed grid, which had a total of 49.65MW online prior to Danzi’s commissioning, according to African Energy Live Data. During the Danzi commissioning ceremony, President Faustin Archange Touadera lamented “the lack of investment over the past 40 years” in CAR’s electricity industry. The lack of interest among private and foreign investors is not surprising, given CAR’s long-running civil war and poor governance.

Cash-strapped South African state utility Eskom says it has used debt and its own cash to finance power transmission infrastructure projects that could unlock more grid capacity in the next few years as market operator NTCSA prepares for operation.

Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX)- and London AIM-listed Mkango Resources is planning three solar PV plants at its Songwe Hill mine. The $311m rare earths project has an estimated 18-year life-of-mine.

Ireland’s Mainstream Renewable Power (Mainstream) has announced that it has achieved financial close on its 97.5MW Free State solar PV project in South Africa. Power generated from the plant will supply Sasol and Air Liquide’s operations in Secunda, in Mpumalanga province.

Portugal’s MCA Group has started the implementation of its €1.2bn ($1.3bn) rural electrification programme in Bié, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malange and Moxico provinces. The programme includes the installation of solar PV and battery capacity across 46 mini-grid sites and 12 grid-connected sites.

The West African Power Pool (Wapp) has inaugurated its Information and Co-ordination Centre (ICC) at its headquarters in Cotonou, Benin.

Port Harcourt-headquartered First Independent Power Ltd (Fipl) has signed a long-term contract with the United States’ General Electric (GE) for the maintenance of the gas turbine at its Afam Phase I plant.

SolarAfrica has outlined to African Energy the latest timeframe for the first phase of its 1GW SunCentral solar PV wheeling project in South Africa's Northern Cape. The project is among the first private projects to be issued with an Eskom budget quote since the utility changed grid allocation rules and gave priority to shovel-ready generation projects under the Renewable Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP).

Sekaname Proprietary and state utility Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) have signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the development of a pilot Sekaname coal bed methane (CBM) plant. Authorities in Botswana, which has been undertaking CBM prospecting for many years, see the commercial production of gas as a step towards the country transitioning from coal-dependent generation to a new energy mix that include gas, solar and wind.

African Energy Live Data started consistently monitoring power project pipelines across the continent eight years ago. An analysis of the figures for South Africa shows a tragic lost opportunity in the shape of many gigawatts of potential renewable generation capacity with no foreseeable chance of being connected to the grid.

Eskom’s most recent Transmission Development Plan (TDP) 2023-32 and Grid Connection Capacity Assessment (GCCA) 2025 showed there was no capacity for additional power to be connected to the grid in the entire western half of South Africa, the location of almost all planned wind generation projects and a large amount of solar and other potential capacity.