Market News| Africa Business News

Five lessons from Kenya's energy access boom

Kenya's market for decentralised renewables is the fastest-moving in Africa Kenya’s market for decentralised renewables is the fastest-moving in Africa. Already 15 to 20 percent of Kenyan households use solar lighting, and the country is home to a pioneering green mini-grids programme, thousands of biodigesters and 3,000 megawatts (MW) of micro-hydro systems. I was recently invited to share Kenya’s experiences.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 16th September 2016

Rwanda innovates to power its economy

A $200m project to convert methane into electricity is poised to change the lives of nearly 2m people in the mineral-rich Central African region—a major relief for the economies of Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Located on the shores of Lake Kivu, one of Africa’s Great Lakes, lies the gigantic KivuWatt methane-fired power plant. The plant reflects Rwanda’s ambitions to be one of.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 15th September 2016

Rwanda innovates to power its economy

A $200m project to convert methane into electricity is poised to change the lives of nearly 2m people in the mineral-rich Central African region—a major relief for the economies of Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Located on the shores of Lake Kivu, one of Africa’s Great Lakes, lies the gigantic KivuWatt methane-fired power plant. The plant reflects Rwanda’s ambitions to be one of.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 15th September 2016

Irish energy company opens fourth South African wind farm

Continuing its global growth, Mainstream Renewable Power has opened its fourth wind farm in South Africa: an 80MW facility in the Umsobumvo region of the country. Investing €120m to satisfy the needs of an estimated 70,000 households, Mainstream’s latest international project in South Africa sees the Irish company’s global footprint grow ever stronger. Following what the company claims is a decline in.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 15th September 2016

Feasibility study completed for Ngaka project

Sinohydro Corp. has released the commercial and technical feasibility study for the Ngaka minemouth power plant project in southeast Tanzania. The project is owned by Intra Energy Corp. Financial evaluation of the project is expected to be released in early October. According to the feasibility study, there is potential for a commercially viable 270 MW power plant, comprising 2 x 135 MW PCI boilers with super-high.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 15th September 2016

Ethiopia: Power Transmission Line From Gibe III to National Grid Installed

The Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity said that the installation of transmission lines that would transfer power generated from Ghibe III to the national grid has been finalized. Briefing journalists Thursday State Minister Eng. Wondimu Tekle said the essential installations from the dam to the national grid through Wolaiyta - Akaki Gelan have been carried out. The State Minister said that though the project.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 14th September 2016

Underground lines to reduce power blackouts

Electricity supply in Nairobi and environs will be more stable and reliable in a year upon completion of an underground cabling project, Kenya Power said yesterday. The project will cost Sh13.2 billion, and will comprise 30.71 kilometres of 220/66 kiloVolts of underground transmission lines. The lines are being connected to the new substation in the City Centre near Laico Hotel from the six 66kV-line substations around.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 14th September 2016

Ethiopia: Boosting Energy to Combat Development Challenges

A large number of people in developing countries are still poor, undernourished, and with no adequate health-care facility. They don't have access to clean water, and are facing challenges such as in alleviating climate change and in enhancing their development processes. Both the environmental and development challenges are coming together to hurt the poor of developing countries as well as the world at large. Thus, developing.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 13th September 2016

East Africa: Nation Seeks Power Generation Partnership

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Ethiopia aspires to partnering with international companies like Globeleq in generating and supplying power. Holding talks with the Globeleq Company East Africa Regional Director Christian Wright yesterday, Minister Dr. Tedros Adhanom said that Ethiopia is working to generate more electric power and supply to countries in the region. He said that deal with notable companies would.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 12th September 2016

Tanzania's gas-rich southern regions to join national electricity grid

The government of Tanzania said on Saturday it will connect the country's gas-rich southern regions of Mtwara and Lindi to the national electricity grid. Sospeter Muhongo, the east African nation's Minister for Energy and Minerals, told Parliament in the political capital Dodoma that the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) has started building a 132 KV transmission line. The two regions currently get electricity.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 12th September 2016

Power from recycled water lights up Kirinyaga businesses

The mention of recently concluded Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (Ticad VI) sends the thoughts of many to Nairobi city, which has recently become a favourite destination for international meetings. However, as a side event during that conference, some delegates toured Kirinyaga County in central Kenya. Like Nairobi, the sleepy Nyakiungu and Kiuria villages should have been as popular, at least.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 8th September 2016

Kenya�s power imports from Uganda now rise 32 per cent

Kenya’s electricity imports from Uganda grew by nearly a third in the year to July saddled by the shutdown of geothermal power grid for lines maintenance. Kenya imported 40.7 million kilowatt hours (kWh) from Uganda compared to 31 million units in the first seven months of last year – marking a 32 per cent growth, according to official data. This is a departure from last year when East Africa’s largest.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 8th September 2016