News and feature articles on microgrids in Africa including RFP's, policies and players impacting the region.
Developers and technology companies worldwide continue to focus on electrifying energy-poor areas of Africa. Recent example: 40,000 residents and businesses in the northeast African country of Eritrea now have reliable electricity thanks to two new minigrids. Developed by UK-based Solarcentury, the minigrids (Africa's term for microgrids) … [Read more...]
We often think of diesel as dirty, and view renewable microgrids as one way to eliminate the use of diesel and other fossil fuels. However, more and more, diesel-backed microgrids can be cleaner, if they rely on the newer, Tier-4 generators. It all depends on where the power is needed, what fuels are available, and how much the microgrid … [Read more...]
An ambitious project is underway to install minigrids for more than 160,000 off-grid villagers on islands in Lake Victoria. JUMEME Rural Power Supply recently launched phase one to commission by June 11 solar-hybrid minigrids for 20 villages and more than 80,000 villagers. Eleven more minigrids are slated for another 23 villages, 160,000 … [Read more...]
Go Electric’s new microgrid on wheels is a box that four people can lift and commission -- and then move, if needed. The mobile microgrid, now under development, also comes on a trailer. And it can run in silent mode. Best of all, it can reduce the use of diesel and other fossil fuels significantly -- by up to 80 percent while operating … [Read more...]
Nigeria plans to seek contractors for $350M minigrid project The Nigerian government plans to secure competitive bids for minigrid projects that it intends to finance through $350 million it is seeking from the World Bank. In a general procurement notice, the federal government said that it will need goods, works, related services and … [Read more...]
CrossBoundary Energy Access is investing an initial $16 million of capital to finance about 190 solar minigrids, each with a capacity of 6 kW-1 MW, across Sub-Saharan Africa. All told, the minigrids will bring electricity to nearly 34,000 off-grid, rural households and businesses -- about 70,000 people who now lack energy access, according … [Read more...]
A fledgling market for commercial and industrial (C&I) solar in Sub-Saharan Africa is poised for faster growth due to high-cost and poor-quality grid power, declining solar energy costs and the rise of energy storage, according to a new report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (NEF). The finding is significant to microgrids in the region … [Read more...]
A push is on to bring electricity to the nearly one billion people who lack it worldwide. But if you build it will they come? Apparently not, as some minigrid developers are finding in Sub-Saharan Africa. Electricity does little good for those who have nothing to plug in. And unfortunately that’s too often the case in remote areas with new … [Read more...]
Sachi Graber of the Rocky Mountain Institute describes a $200 million opportunity in Nigeria to develop undergrid minigrids, projects that shore up electricity for those served by unreliable grids. Traditionally in sub-Saharan Africa, electrification efforts have emphasized the hundreds of millions of people who live off-grid, with no … [Read more...]
Until December 2017, Kilowatt Labs was still a startup company, developing supercapacitor-based energy storage and an energy server that’s designed to manage distributed energy. But after the company delivered its first product in January, Kilowatt Labs attracted more business than expected. Most recently, it garnered a $2.5 million … [Read more...]
The relevance of microgrids to the modern power system has become so significant that fewer and fewer players can afford to ignore them. And given performance expectations and the complexity of build, the demand for detailed microgrid simulation and testing facilities is high.
In S&C Electric’s first “State of Commercial & Industrial Power Reliability” report, conducted in collaboration with Frost & Sullivan, facilities and energy managers of commercial and industrial (C&I) businesses across the United States were surveyed regarding their perspectives on power reliability and future energy needs. Download the full report from S&C to learn more about what C&I leaders across the U.S. have to say about reliability and the energy of tomorrow.
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