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  • World Bank Finances Niger’s Off-Grid Solar Initiative with $50 million
    • Niger’s cabinet has ratified an agreement it closed in June with the International Development Association (IDA), which is part of the World Bank, for a €42.7 million ($50.3 million) financing that is planned to support the Niger Solar Electricity Access Project (NESPA), an initiative aimed at bringing solar power to rural communities.

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    Aug 15 2017

  • World Bank Approves $150m USD to Fund Off-Grid Systems in Northeastern Kenya
    • The World Bank this week approved $150m to fund off-grid solar systems in northeastern Kenya. The International Development Association credit is planned to provide power for an estimated 1.3 million people across 14 counties in Kenya’s northern and northeastern regions. According to the Bank, the project will aim to provide solar-based energy services to households, schools, hospitals, businesses and community centres through public-private partnerships that include “practical business models that attract private sector investment”. The project will include a technical assistance component that will facilitate a consumer education campaign as well as a capacity building programme.

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    Aug 3 2017

  • Mauritius' Central Electricity Board (CEB) Launches Net Metering Scheme for Residential PV
    • Mauritius’ Central Electricity Board (CEB) has launched the second phase of the Small Scale Distributed Generation Net-Metering Scheme. The new phase of the program is expected to enable the installation of up to 2 MW of PV systems not exceeding 5 kW. Under the scheme, customers generating electricity will export any excess energy in the grid, in the form of kWh credits. The credits will be used when the customer’s system is not producing enough power to meet demand.

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    Jul 20 2017

  • International Energy Agency (IEA) Releases Latest Edition of its World Energy Investment Report
    • The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released its World Energy Investment report, showing that while there was a 12% fall in global energy investment last year, clean energy spending specifically claimed a record-high 43% share of all expenditure. $1.7 trillion USD is estimated to have been invested in global energy sectors last year, which accounts for 2.2% of global GDP.

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    Jul 13 2017

  • Government of Sudan Prepares to Launch Feed-In Tariff Scheme with Support from the UNDP
    • The Sudanese government is currently preparing to launch a Feed-In Tariff Scheme for solar energy and for renewables in general. Developed with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), it is expected to encourage grid-connected renewable energy projects as well as off-grid generation. They are now seeking consultants with experience in the development of national FIT programs to help the local government and the country’s Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) find the most suitable legal and regulatory framework for a future incentive scheme.

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    Jun 21 2017

  • Algeria Launches Solar Energy Cluster
    • The Algerian government has officially launched a new solar energy cluster (Cluster algérien des énergies solaires). So far, 16 small and medium-sized solar enterprises and research institutes have joined the project. The cluster is intended to help solar energy players in Algeria to share their expertise and to mutually support future projects. In October 2014, Sonelgaz and the Algerian government revealed plans to deploy 4 GW of solar power for the first time. So far, however, the government has not made any announcement.

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    Jun 1 2017

  • AfDB and UN Environment Programme Release "Atlas of Africa Energy Resources" Report
    • Energy consumption in Africa is the lowest in the world, and per capita consumption has remained almost constant since 2000 – according to the new Atlas released Thursday 4 May by UN Environment and the African Development Bank during the World Economic Forum. Current energy production in Africa is insufficient to meet demand, with about a third of the total population of Africa still lacking access to electricity. The Atlas – developed in collaboration with the Environment Pulse Institute, United States Geological Survey and George Mason University – consolidates information in the “form of detailed ‘before and after’ images, charts, maps and other satellite data from 54 countries through visuals detailing the challenges and opportunities in providing Africa’s population with access to reliable, affordable and modern energy services” – said UN Environment in a press release.

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    May 11 2017

  • IRENA: Solar Outpaced Wind During Banner Year For Renewables
    • Adding to the list of studies highlighting the immense growth of renewables last year, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has released a new report that finds global renewable energy generation capacity increased by 161 GW in 2016, making it the strongest year ever for new capacity additions. Perhaps most notably, though, the report also says solar growth outpaced wind energy for the first time since 2013. IRENA’s Renewable Energy Capacity Statistics 2017 report estimates that by the end of last year, the world’s renewable generation capacity reached 2,006 GW, with solar energy showing particularly strong growth.

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    Apr 6 2017

  • Energy transition to generate US$10 trillion in benefits by 2050 – IEA/IRENA
    • The route to decarbonisation in the energy sector will create benefits of US$10 trillion every year by 2050, while requiring only US$1.8 trillion to implement, according to a new joint report from the International Energy Agency (IAE) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). In their first ever collaboration, IEA and IRENA found that a total of 6 million jobs would be created, even when accounting for jobs lost in other industries. Further jobs will also be created in the energy efficiency sector. However, the report also found that losses at oil and gas companies could reach more than US$1.3 trillion if the transition is not managed properly.

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    Mar 20 2017

  • European Commission Reaffirms Support for Renewable Energy in Africa
    • The European Commission has announced its continued support to the African continent by promoting renewables through the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative. The Commission said this initiative is in line with its wider efforts in the implementation of the 2030 agenda on sustainable development and the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Launched in December 2015 at COP21, the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) is an Africa-owned initiative of the African Union.

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    Mar 9 2017