Seychelles signs its maiden PPA with Qair for a 5.8 MW floating solar plant; South Africa's Decentral raises $12.1 million to expand C&I solar business; AfDB approves $28.49 million grant for renewable energy in Ghana.
5.8 MW floating solar plant in Seychelles: France's Qair has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) in Seychelles to build a 5.8 MW floating solar power plant. It happens to be the African country's 1st ever PPA. Qair won this project in a November 2019 auction which it will now develop, build and operate. Construction is due to start in Q4/2023 and on completion it will be connected to the national grid. "The floating solar plant is a game-changer for Seychelles, providing a reliable source of renewable energy and contributing to the country's sustainable development. We are especially proud to sign the first Seychellois PPA for a floating solar plant on Energy Observer, our partner zero-emission vessel," said Qair's Indian Ocean Region Director Olivier Gaering. In December 2022, Masdar inaugurated a 5 MW solar and battery storage project in Seychelles (see 5 MW Solar & Storage Project Online In East Africa's Seychelles).
$12.1 million for Decentral: South African renewable energy independent power producer (IPP) Decentral has raised $12.1 million as its '1st' financial close to expand its operations. The investment has come from Flyt Property Investment and Anuva Investments. Lions Head Global Partners that provided transaction advisory services called it 'likely' the maiden acquisition of renewable C&I projects by an institutional asset manager in South Africa. Decentral currently has developed, owns, and operates over 10 megawatts (MW) of solar PV assets in the C&I sector and has 500 MW of active development assets nationwide. Capital raised will be used to fund further greenfield C&I transactions, primarily in the small- and mid-scale sectors. Decentral says it will allow the company to reach increase its capacity to 45 MW to 50 MW across 30 to 40 C&I offtakers in the country.
$28.49 million grant for RE in Ghana: The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a grant of $28.49 million for Ghana to construct renewable energy infrastructure to help increase its renewable energy use by 10% through 2030. It will support construction of mini-grids, stand-alone solar photovoltaic systems and solar-based battery facilities for storing excess power, a practice known as net metering. The project, explained AfDB, consists of the design, engineering, supply, construction, installation, testing and commissioning of renewable energy systems on the island communities in the Volta Lake region.