Africa Solar PV News Snippets

Trina Solar, SOLA & WBHO partner for 330 MW in South Africa; UNMISS supports solar-powered water facility in South Sudan; Konexa invests in solar-battery plants in Nigeria; GreenYellow commissions PV plant in Mauritius; BONI raises $11M from Afreximbank for solar in West Indies. 

195 MW n-type solar plant in South Africa: Trina Solar is providing its solar modules for what it claims is the 1st and the largest privately developed n-type utility-scale solar project in South Africa. Located in the Free State province, the 195 MW Springbok project is now under construction in collaboration with local solar company SOLA and construction firm Wilson Bayly Holmes Ovcon (WBHO). Trina is supplying 331,200 Vertex N series modules for the facility based on 210 mm wafer sized cells. Trina says this is also the 1st project in the country to serve multiple offtakers, but did not share any other details. The trio are also collaborating for the 135 MW Merak 1 solar project for which Trina is supplying its 210 mm p-type bifacial Vertex modules. The Merak 1 project will power the operations of African Rainbow Minerals, a mining company, when it is online by 2024-end. 

Solar for water in South Sudan: The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has funded a solar-powered water facility in South Sudan to support the water needs of some 6,000 households and close to 37,000 internally displaced persons. The facility in Pieri in Jonglei's Uror County has now been handed over to the community. The installation will help ease the considerable burden on women and children who are forced to fetch water from far away. The children can instead go to school now and spend more time with family instead of running around to carry water, according to the beneficiary locals. Implemented by a non-government organization Impact Actions, it aims to ensure access to safe water for the people of South Sudan who end up consuming contaminated water, thus exposing themselves to waterborne diseases. 

RE for Nigerian company: Utility-scale renewable energy projects company for Sub-Saharan Africa, UK-based Konexa has invested in captive solar-battery hybrid plants in Nigeria. Funded by Climate Fund Managers and the European Commission, the projects cover transportation, logistics and storage company Zipline's sites in Kaduna and Cross River States. Zipline delivers critical medical supplies to rural primary healthcare facilities across the country via drones. Konexa says its renewable energy facilities have helped Zipline eliminate the use of 20,000 liters of diesel/month, helping it reduce its carbon footprint. It adds that Zipline has been able to complete over 12,000 deliveries powered by 100% renewable energy. 

14 MW solar plant in Mauritius: French independent power producer (IPP) GreenYellow recently commissioned a 14 MW solar PV plant in Mauritius. The Arsenal project is a winner of the 2021 tender launched by the Central Electricity Board (CEB). It is designed to generate 20 GWh annually for the grid to cover electricity supply for nearly 4,500 Mauritian households. It is backed by MUR 350 million ($7.63 million) financial support from the Mauritius Commercial Bank Ltd (MCB). GreenYellow says this is the company's 2nd project on the island after it switched on the 16 MW Solitude project. These projects contribute to the country's targets to achieve 35% renewable energy electricity in its mix by 2025 and 60% by 2030, says the French company. 

$11 million for RE: West Indies-headquartered Bank of New Innovation Limited (BONI) has raised dual tranche of $11 million financing from Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to support small and medium enterprises (SME) and domestic consumers to access sustainable renewable energy and solar panel systems. The financing will also develop a landmark hotel project in Nevis, it adds. BONI says the agreement works on a 2-tier strategy with the 1st tier introducing solar-as-a-service model to ensure solar energy is sustainable, affordable and accessible. It will help reduce electricity bills for businesses and households. The hotel construction will generate some 100 jobs. 

BONI Founder Michael J. Prest said, "Affordable energy and affordable finance are key to development and the persistent lack of the same poses an existential risk to the development and well-being of small island states. BONI and Afreximbank will support businesses and consumers to create economic multipliers by benefiting from affordable financing options and affordable renewable energy."