Total acquires Scatec's African hydropower assets

• TotalEnergies has been actively diversifying its energy portfolio and venturing into renewable energy sources, particularly solar and hydropower. The company has set an ambitious target of achieving 400 GW of renewable energy capacity globally by 2050.

• Last month, it formed a partnership with UAE’s clean energy leader Masdar and renewable energy investment platform EPointZero to fund clean energy projects in Africa and Asia. Their renewables focus comes at a time when other leading oil and gas companies like BP, Shell and Equinor are divesting from renewables.

• Our take: TotalEnergies' investment in both renewables and fossil fuels provides a balanced portfolio, allowing it to channel profits from oil and gas into renewables… Read more (2 min)

South Africa to install solar plants at major airports

• Airports require uninterrupted power for critical operations and safety needs. ACSA is diversifying its energy supply to avoid state-owned utility Eskom’s struggling grid. Johannesburg OR Tambo airport’s 5 MW plant alone could cover 12% of its daily 42 MW demand while insulating operations from blackouts costing about $1.2 million per hour for diesel generators during outages. 

• The inclusion of modular designs for future battery integration shows foresight in addressing solar intermittency. Research shows that solar plus four hours of battery storage cuts diesel backup costs at airports by 38%. This could drastically reduce the $63 million that ACSA spends on fuel per year.

• Our take: Eskom's failures are driving away major clients. ACSA's solar move isn't just green, it's self-preservation… Read more (2 min)

The north leads in February renewables funding

• Despite North Africa leading in renewable energy funding, only two countries, Morocco and Egypt, received investments. In contrast, East and Southern Africa's funding was much more spread out, with four countries in each of the regions receiving investments.

• There was an additional $350 billion in commitments from international banks and multilateral institutions targeting the financing of renewable energy projects in Africa.

• Our take: North Africa's electricity export demand means the region will continue to attract big investments… Read more (2 min)

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