World Bank & AfDB to provide electricity access to 300 million Africans; PowerChina building 220 MW PV in Algeria; CEC commissions 60 MW in Zambia; Qair bags EBRD finance for Tunisian projects; Globeleq expanding in Egypt & South Africa; Tongwei enters North African market.
World Bank & AfDB partner: The World Bank Group and African Development Bank (AfDB) have announced a partnership through which they aim to bring electricity access to at least 300 million Africans by 2030. Currently, 600 million Africans lack access to electricity, according to the World Bank, which creates significant barriers to health care, education, productivity, digital inclusivity and job creation. Both organizations have divided the target population with the World Bank taking up the responsibility to connect 250 million people to electricity through distributed renewable energy systems or the distribution grid. The remaining 50 million will be supported by the AfDB. The World Bank estimates that for it to connect 250 million people, a total public sector investment of $30 billion will be needed for which it will assign its concessional arm for low-income countries IDA. It estimates that connecting 250 million people to electricity would open private sector investment opportunities in renewable energy alone worth $9 billion.
220 MW solar plant in Algeria: Chinese EPC group Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina) has started constructing a 220 MW solar PV plant in Northern Algeria. The project is located in Bir Naam in Biskra province, 400 km southeast of the capital city of Algiers. PowerChina targets to complete the project in 16 months. According to the Chinese government's official news platform Belt and Road Portal, China State Construction Engineering Corporation also broke ground for a 200 MW solar power plant in Algeria's El M'Ghair in March 2024. Both these PV projects are part of Algeria's 2 GW solar program. In March 2024, Algerian utility Sonelgaz signed contracts for 3 GW solar PV capacity with the winners of its 2 tenders (see Africa Solar PV News Snippets).
60 MW solar plant in Zambia: Zambian power company Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) has commissioned the 60 MW Itimpi Solar PV Power Station in Zambia's Garneton, Kitwe region. Inaugurated by Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, the project is fitted with 109,144 monocrystalline bifacial solar modules, 200 inverters and trackers. It will generate 130 GWh annually, contributing to the country's Nationally Determined Contribution of Zambia to reduce carbon emissions, said CEC. It constructed the facility for $53 million, using 1st tranche of the $200 million green bond of CEC Renewables listed on the Lusaka Securities Exchange. CEC plans to use further tranches of the green bond to finance more solar and storage projects, including a 126 MW solar plant on the same site as Itimpi (see Africa Solar PV News Snippets).
French player to build Tunisian PV projects: French renewable energy company Qair has achieved financial close for 2×10 MW greenfield solar PV plants in Tunisia. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) recently approved a €7.8 million financing for the 2 projects. Qair owns 100% of the 1st project while Mazarine Energy joins it for the 2nd project. Both projects will be operated by Qair on completion. The 2 facilities are located in Feriana town of Kasserine Governorate.
Globeleq invests in 25 MW solar plant: African independent power company Globeleq has acquired a 48.3% equity stake in the 25 MW Winnergy Solar Plant in Egypt. It has acquired the stake from Enerray Global Solar Opportunities and Desert Technologies. The project is already operational within the Benban Solar Complex near Aswan, generating close to 58 GWh annually. It has been supplying power to the Egyptian Electricity and Transmission Company (EETC) under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA). It is located adjacent to Globeleq's 66 MW ARC Solar Plant. Now, Globeleq co-owns the Winnergy project with Egyptian EPC group GILA Altawakol Electric, which also provides operation and maintenance (O&M) services to the project.
Globeleq CEO Mike Scholey said, "The addition of Winnergy is a good fit with our existing portfolio as we pursue additional opportunities in Egypt across green hydrogen and ammonia, solar, wind and desalination."
Energy storage system in South Africa: Recently, Globeleq announced that its 153 MW/612 MWh Red Sands Storage Project has been awarded the preferred bidder status in South Africa's Energy Storage Capacity Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (ESIPPPP). It will be the largest standalone battery energy storage system in Africa on completion, claims the company that's under the joint ownership of the British International Investment (BII) and Norfund. Expected to cost $300 million, the project will be online within 24 months after the financial close. It already owns and operates 6 solar PV and 2 wind energy projects in South Africa.
Tongwei eyes North Africa: Chinese solar PV manufacturer Tongwei Solar says it is expanding into the North African market with a 50 MW annual framework agreement with the Arab Consulting Office (ACO). During the agreement signing ceremony, the 2 partners said they plan to create a 'photovoltaic blue ocean in the desert' in North Africa. ACO is now the Chinese manufacturer's 1st partner in North Africa. Tongwei has already shipped 15.5 MW of PV modules to ACO.