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- African renewables enter a new phase with far-flung battery storage
African renewables enter a new phase with far-flung battery storage
 | The Ministry of Energy in Burkina Faso announced a tender for the first phase of a solar initiative that will have three projects totalling 150 MW. The funding will be provided by the World Bank to the selected independent power producers, who will construct and operate the plant for 25 years. The second phase of the project will procure 180 MW. |
Across Africa, many countries are adopting solar with battery storage, even poor countries like South Sudan and Somalia. This year, South Sudan commissioned its first solar with battery storage, and Somalia issued three tenders for similar projects.
Renewable energy capacity in Burkina has more than tripled in the last seven years, reaching 241 MW, with solar accounting for more than 85% of the growth. This has been supported by a new Electricity Law, which opened the market for private sector investment in 2017.
Our take: Now that solar and battery costs are competitive with fossil fuels, policy support, rather than price, dictates their adoption… Read more (2 min)
 | Norwegian renewable energy company Scatec leads in senior staff hiring. Analysis from Renewables Rising over the past 12 months shows that the company increased senior staff by 37%. The company has secured major renewable energy projects in South Africa and Egypt, and this likely explains the recent hiring spree. |
The aggregate data collected shows a net increase of 297 senior employees across the ten large companies surveyed, bringing the total staff number to 1,668. This is largely driven by an increase in the number of projects and investments in renewables.
However, the data also presents a contrasting trend. Globeleq, PowerGen Renewable Energy, and Distributed Power Africa have all recorded a reduction in staff numbers. This contraction could be attributed to various factors, including restructuring efforts, project completions, or a strategic shift towards leaner operational models.
Our take: The net staff growth signals the overall sector increased investments and projects… Read more (2 min)
 | The increasing energy demands of AI, often portrayed negatively, present surprising and hopeful opportunities for Africa. In an opinion article, Rose Mutiso, the Research Director for the Energy for Growth Hub, a global energy think tank, outlines three key reasons why the African energy sector can view AI as more of an advantage than a concern. |
The demand for data centres in Africa is predicted to increase substantially, with the market projected to reach 1,430 MW by 2030. This represents a nearly fivefold increase from the current capacity.
Rose Mutiso's research centres on energy transitions and emerging energy technologies. She is also a TED Talk speaker and a co-founder of the Mawazo Institute, an organisation that supports the next generation of female scholars and thought leaders in East Africa.
For her full opinion… Read more (2 min)
Events
🗓️ Attend Kenya Solar Week Event (Apr 10)
🗓️ Participate in the International Renewable Energy Conference 2025 (Apr 11)
🗓️ Register for a solar cooling conference and tour (Apr 14)
Jobs
🛠️ Become UEGCL’s C&I Technician (Uganda)
👨💼 Join Engie as a Senior Tax Advisor (South Africa)
👩🏻💻 Lead the human resource department at Schneider Electric (Kenya)
Various
🌱 The Bush-to-Value Biomass Industrial Park is now open in Witvlei, Namibia
💰 Ethiopia earns $70 million in carbon credits through its reforestation efforts
💡 South Africa targets 5,000 MW of new renewables per year
Seen on LinkedIn
Emeka Ajene, managing partner at Africreate, says, “Africa could be the most competitive region to build AI in if we seize the renewable energy advantage.”