Tatu City development completes its first solar installation

As part of a 30 MW strategy for Tatu City real estate developer Rendeavour has installed its first solar power plant in Kenya.

Tatu City is a 5000 acre mixed-use development with homes, schools, offices, a shopping district, medical clinics, nature areas, a sport and entertainment complex, and a manufacturing area for more than 150 000 residents. 

The city's first solar power plant – installed on the roof of Dormans Coffee's global headquarters at Tatu Industrial Park – provides 1 MW of electricity.

ESI Africa, 23 April 2019

Businesses must seek finance to develop renewable energy, energy efficiency projects – Sanedi

The time is ripe for local businesses to seek finance in order to develop renewable energy and efficiency projects in the face of recent rotational blackouts and rising prices, the South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi) said on Tuesday.

Sanedi urged businesses to consider loans from Sunref, an international lending programme that it hosts and which promotes green finance and energy innovation, to develop projects in support of the country’s efforts towards a "green" transition.

Engineering News, 23 April 2019

Microalgae research adds to renewable energy package

A new form of renewable energy research is underway at the University of Lagos’ department of botany, which seeks to harness the huge opportunity of microalgae in the energy mix. 

Dr Adesalu Taofikat Abosede is undertaking the research on the procedure, which is cited to support other forms of renewable energy in solving Nigeria’s electricity supply challenges.

Abosede informed the media that direct saponification-esterification conversion (DSEC) can be used to convert microalgae into biodiesel in a cost-effective manner. DSEC has the potential, when commercialised, to provide a new world of opportunities for clean, alternative energy in Nigerian homes, especially in rural areas, stated the university lecturer.

ESI Africa, 23 April 2019

CSIR analysis highlights positive contribution of renewables during 2019 load-shedding periods

South Africa’s fleet of utility-scale variable renewable energy (VRE) plants contributed to limiting the extent of load-shedding instituted by Eskom during the first quarter of 2019 by 46%, new analysis by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) shows.

The report adds that, absent the instantaneous contributions from the VRE fleet of up to 2.3 GW during those periods when rotational cuts were made, Eskom would have been forced to raise the level of load-shedding instituted from Stage 4 to Stage 5, or even Stage 6.

Engineering News, 24 April 2019

Sanedi’s reflective roof coatings pilot moves to scale

The South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi) on Wednesday announced that its Cool Surfaces Project has moved from collaboration to a completed, scaled-up project in Groblershoop, in the Northern Cape.

Reflective roof coatings have reduced the indoor daytime temperatures at a low-cost housing project, in Groblershoop, from above 34°C to a more comfortable 25°C, said Sanedi Energy Efficiency, Cool Surfaces and Communications project manager Denise Lundall.

Engineering News, 24 April 2019

AECF launches US$20m solar fund for West Africa

The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) in partnership with United Kingdom Government has launched the Household Solar Round 2 competition worth US$20 600 000 (£16m).

The competition seeks to accelerate access to transformative solar home systems to the rural poor households in Ethiopia, Somalia, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal.

ESI Africa, 25 April 2019

Generator supplier helps combat load-shedding impact

With inconsistent power supply being an ongoing issue for companies in South Africa, electrical products supplier and local manufacturer Zest WEG Group offers synchronised generator sets (gensets) to the industry, which allow for continuous power supply, negating the start-up and shutdown dangers that hinder production lines.

The gensets can be powered by one of the numerous engine brands that Zest WEG Group is able to offer and these units are synchronised on site to maximise efficacy and save customers time and money.

Engineering News, 26 April 2019

Largest solar park achieves financial close

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and the consortium led by ACWA Power and Silk Road Fund, announced the financial closing of the 950 MW fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

Claiming to be the largest single-site solar park in the world, once complete it will produce 5000 MW by 2030 with investments totalling US$13 billion (AED 50 billion), the Saudi Arabia-based firm said in a statement.

ESI Africa, 26 April 2019

The above reflects a summary of certain news articles published during the preceding week.

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