Friday, 18 June

Dear <<First Name>>

Earlier this week, REPP was delighted to announce a USD1 million investment into a landmark hydro project in Burundi, the most recent in a succession of run-of-river project investments made by the platform.

Burundi is one of the world’s least electrified countries, currently with an estimated electrification rate of just 11% and a total installed capacity of 80MW. Once built, the ‘Mpanda’ plant will increase East Africa’s installed capacity by over 10%, whilst directly contributing to the country’s strategic priorities.

I believe this project has the potential to make a transformative impact on Burundi and its people, by enabling the economic activity necessary to improve life prospects and living conditions, while also avoiding over 6,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year.

This project announcement follows last week’s release of The International Hydropower Association’s 2021 status report, in which the IEA claims that the water power sector will need to double in size to 2,600 GW to achieve net zero by 2050 – which equates to building the same capacity over the next 30 years as was achieved over the last 100.

The authors of the report intend it to act as ‘a wake-up call for policymakers, hydropower developers and projects financiers’ and I hope that Mpanda will have a similar and demonstrative effect, paving the way for greater participation by the sector in unlocking the 90% of untapped hydropower potential that Africa still has to offer.

Cheers

Geoff

Managing Director, Camco Clean Energy

West Africa

Côte d’Ivoire: Biovea biomass plant receives EUR165 million loan from Proparco and EAIF (Afrik21)
- The 46MWp biomass plant which will convert oil palm waste into electricity is expected to have a significant contribution to the local economy.

Niger: The West African nation has joined the Scaling Solar initiative (PV-Magazine)
- This has kicked-off the process of the IFC helping the government tender and develop 50 MW of solar generation capacity.

Nigeria: Solmont Technologies to establish solar panel manufacturing facility (Energy Mix Report)
- The facility will be able to produce 1GW of solar panels every year and will be located in the Oore industrial park in Ondo State.

Regional: New USD570 million transmission line project to link Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria and Togo (ESI)
- The new transmission line has support from the World Bank, AFD and AfDB, however the countries still have to agree to a PPA between buyers and sellers before funding is released by these investors.

Regional: The World Bank has approved a USD465 million to expand energy access (ESI)
- The funding will be used to support the Regional Electricity Access and Battery-Energy Storage Technologies (BEST) project which aims to expand grid access to over one million people in ECOWAS countries.

East Africa

DRC: Government selects Australia’s Fortescue to develop Grand Inga hydro projects (Engineering News)
- The group has entered into informal discussions with the previously selected Chinese and Spanish developers on how to implement the project.

Rwanda: 80MWp Rusumo hydro plant expected to begin supplying electricity in December (Energy Mix Report)
- Construction of the plant, which will also supply Burundi and Tanzania with electricity, currently stands at 80% complete.

Tanzania: Government signs agreement with AFD to finance 150MWp Kishapu solar plant (Afrik21)
- The French Development Agency will provide a EUR137 million loan to conduct initial studies and for construction.

Tanzania: World bank approves USD142 million to modernise Zanizibar’s electricity infrastructure (Afrik21)
- The funds will be used to implement the Zanzibar Energy Sector Access and Transformation Project (ZESTA), which will bring clean electricity to over 400,000 people.

Southern Africa

Madagascar: 20MWp Ambatolampy solar plant to be expanded (ESI)
- The national utility Jirama is planning to expand the facility to 40MWp and add 5MWh of battery storage. Commissioning is expected at the end of 2021.

Mozambique: African coal operator announces joint venture to target C&I solar and storage markets (PV-Tech)
- Mozambique-based Ncondezi Energy has announced a joint venture with NESA, a South African-based company, to target South Africa’s C&I solar and storage markets.

Mozambique: Globeleq begins construction of the 19MWp, 2MW/7MWh Cuamba solar-plus-storage project (PV-Magazine)
- The project has been described by its developer as the nation’s first independent power project to feature utility scale storage.

South Africa: Emergency power debacle is making the energy crisis worse (Engineering News)
- The government's bid to secure emergency power has been mired in allegations of corruption and environmental concerns as losing bidders and environmental groups launch legal action.

Zimbabwe: Tender for 4.5MWp solar plant near Chiredzi launched (Afrik21)
- The Malilangwe Trust and Sustainable Agriculture Technology are inviting tenders for the selection of a company to provide engineering, design, procurement and construction services. Interested companies have 19 days to apply.

Africa - general

General: Berkeley Energy raises EUR130 million for its second Africa Energy Fund (PV-Tech)
- The AREF II fund has a successful first close and counts the CDP, CDC, FMO, Proparco, Swedfund, Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa among its investors.

Sudan: First wind turbine arrives at Dongola wind farm (ESI)
- This is a major milestone towards realising the country's first utility-scale wind farm which has received support from The Government of Sudan and the Global Environment Facility.

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