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Norwegian independent power producer Scatec has commissioned a solar PV and battery hybrid project in South Africa, plus two similar schemes in Cameroon via its subsidiary Release.

Bill Kilgore Investments and a consortium of international investors led by Inspired Evolution’s managed Evolution II and III Funds, Paris-based Stoa and Dutch development bank FMO have injected $160m into Cape Town-based independent power producer (IPP) Red Rocket.

British American Tobacco Nigeria (BAT) has commissioned a solar PV plant at its Ibadan factory.

Independent power producer (IPP) Serengeti Energy has commissioned the first phase of its Nkhotakota solar photovoltaic plant in eastern Malawi.

There are pockets of progress in building infrastructure across Democratic Republic of Congo, with commercial operators and development finance institutions supporting a range of projects. But with eastern regions traumatised by violence and an uncertain election looming in December, the country remains as challenging an environment as ever, writes Jon Marks.

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed triumphantly announced on 10 September that the fourth and final filling of the $4.2bn Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Gerd) reservoir had been completed, raising the 74km3 reservoir’s water level to 625 metres; last year’s third filling had brought levels to 600 metres.

Cairo is pressing on with the implementation of its existing electricity supply industry (ESI) strategy in the face of severe headwinds. Some major reforms, including energy sector liberalisation, are certain to be delayed, but the authorities continue to drive big ticket projects forward – and to pile on new ones – while striving to keep international investors on-side in a highly precarious financial situation.

Ivanhoe Mines has opted for commercial and industrial (C&I) supply from an independent power producer (IPP) for its Platreef project in Limpopo province, becoming the latest large South African offtaker to respond in this way to the woeful performance of utility Eskom.

Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines is expanding its use of hydroelectric power (HEP) wheeled across state utility Société Nationale d’Electricité (Snel)’s grid to support its mining activities in Democratic Republic of Congo’s Haut-Katanga province, which include the world-scale Kamoa-Kakula copper mine.

A target construction date has been set for the Ilute solar PV plant following the signing of an implementation agreement between the government and off-taker Africa GreenCo Group. Nairobi-headquartered independent power producer (IPP) Serengeti Energy and Zambian partner Western Solar are jointly developing the project.  On completion, it will be Zambia’s first plant to sell power to a private intermediary offtaker.

The Cuamba solar PV plant, which includes 2MW/7MWh of battery energy storage, has started commercial operations, according to developer Globeleq.

‘Last mile’ access software and hardware provider Okra Solar has secured fresh debt and equity in a series-A round of financing intended to scale up its mesh-grid technology for off-grid projects in Nigeria.

The Red Sea Power (RSP) Ghoubet wind plant has been commissioned. The $122m project is Djibouti’s first utility-scale independent power producer (IPP) and its first on-grid renewable energy plant. African Energy takes a look at the potential impact of the plant, which represents the first steps towards achieving the government’s energy transition goals.

Expressions of interest (EoI) have been requested by the Ministry of Energy for consultancy services to prepare a 40MW wind plant, following a general procurement notice.

Initial projections from the African Union’s Continental Power System Master Plan show what an interconnected power market might look like, driven predominantly by renewable energy – but the plan also sets out in stark relief the vast gap between current levels of supply and what is needed for universal electricity access to help raise economies out of poverty, write John Hamilton and Jon Marks in Nairobi.