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Niger's Ministry of Energy and Renewable Energies has confirmed the timeframe for commissioning 3MWp of off-grid solar photovoltaic capacity at ten sites across the country. An initial 3MWp is already operational at five isolated, state-owned thermal plants. While the 6MWp addition is relatively small for many markets, it represents a significant increase for one of Africa’s poorest countries. African Energy takes a closer look at the projects and the impact they could have on energy access in Niger.

Chadian developer ZIZ Energie has confirmed to African Energy the dates it expects its solar PV mini-grids in Ati and Moussoro to come online. The two projects have faced numerous delays due to supply constraints and financing issues.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has asked for expressions of interest (EoI) for consultancy services to support a Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (Sefa) Africa Mini-Grid Acceleration Programme (Amap) project to speed up the development of solar/hydroelectric power mini-grids in Cameroon.

Madrid-headquartered Ric Energy has completed a 1.4MWp/4.5MWh solar PV mini-grid in Mzuzu in Malawi's Northern Region.

African nations, the governments of partner countries, international financial institutions (IFIs) and private investors are increasing their commitments to achieving universal energy access, the seventh of the United Nation’s sustainable development goals (SDG7). But the prospects of reaching the SDG7 target by 2030 are receding as population numbers continue to rise. A daunting amount of work remains to be done if SDG7 is to be achieved. In a newly published report commissioned by the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP), Cross-border Information – the parent company of African Energy – has analysed financial flows towards SDG7 over the past seven years and their estimated potential trajectories to 2030 and beyond.

Outgoing Eskom chief executive André de Ruyter has argued for increased support to exploit the potential for rooftop PV, other C&I power and solar home systems to help South Africa overcome its chronic electricity supply deficit. De Ruyter said up to 10GW of rooftop solar could be added by 2030 – but that depends on investors getting more incentives in a sector where government has previously been of limited support.

Only a few days after its launch, solar company Ener-G-Africa has begun exports from its newly established solar panel manufacturing plant in Cape Town. The first order of 1,000 panels is being supplied to Malawi.

Off-grid liquid generation remains a costly default option for retail customers in countries with unreliable grids. Half-a-dozen grid collapses this year in Nigeria have demonstrated how unreliable and underpowered the grid is, with diesel and other small genset backups estimated to comprise as much as 12GW of off-grid liquid capacity.

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.

New regulations have been released for the off-grid energy sector in Mozambique, in an effort to unlock more private sector investment and accelerate the development of off-grid technologies.

Commercial and industrial (C&I) power has experienced a tremendous boom in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), as companies look for alternatives to failing state utilities, not least in the continent’s largest economies South Africa and Nigeria.

Ahead of elections next year, the team that has pushed reforms to the electricity supply industry is working to ensure international financial commitments for electrification and the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) are secured, and the broad lines of the All Progressive Congress (APC) administration’s policy continue, a senior source told African Energy. A particular focus is making sure that World Bank Group (WBG) commitments are implemented.

Commercial and industrial power developers see room for continued rapid growth in key African markets, with evolving deal structures proving competitive compared to unreliable and expensive grid electricity. C&I’s ascent is driving innovation in the terms of power purchase agreements and the profile of offtakers, write Tonderayi Mukeredzi and Marc Howard.

Renewable energy developer Darway Coast Nigeria has raised a seven-year, fixed-rate local currency debt facility for a mini-grid programme in southern Nigeria, in the first transaction backed by the Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company (Infracredit)’s Clean Energy Funding Programme (CEFP).