Regional interconnections and oil discoveries are expected to drive the transmission and distribution industry’s (T&D’s) growth in East Africa, the second-fastest growing region in Africa, global growth consulting firm Frost & Sullivan said on Tuesday. The region’s power sector was currently highly underdeveloped and had the lowest electricity access rate on the continent, the firm stated while highlighting that.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 13th January 2015

NAIROBI – KENYA Power, the energy utility, is convinced it will record a Sh15 billion pre-tax profit in the 2014/2015 financial year, a senior official has said. The company, which in the past 22 years had not given its shareholders the highest return, would seek to break the new ground by making the profit. According to Kenya Power’s Managing Director, Ben Chumo, the forecast was based on a good performance by the power retailer.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 13th January 2015

Kenya will save about Ksh 13 billion annually once the 105 MW geothermal power plants start to operate in Menengai, Nakuru by end of 2015.    The project run by the Geothermal Development Company (GDC) has now awarded three IPPs land where they will put up power plants. The company is also constructing a major steam gathering pipeline that will distribute the steam from wells to turbines.   “We now have three new investors.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 9th January 2015

The Department of Energy in South Africa, has granted French electric utility company, GDF Suez as the preferred bidder in the latest round of its REIPPP programme for the 100MW Kathu Solar Park in the country’s North West province. Having been granted preferred bidder status, invites GDF Suez to enter into a 20 year power purchase agreement with state utility, Eskom.   This is not the first instance of the company’s.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 8th January 2015

The Gilgel Gibe III Hydropower project, constructed and situated on the Omo River in Ethiopia is expected to, once completed, generate 1 870 MW of power assisting in meeting the energy needs of those residing in Ethiopia and neighbouring countries. Construction of the 243m concrete dam began in 2008, and is scheduled to start generating power in early 2015. It is reported that Gigel Gibe III’s ten 187MW turbine units will boost.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 8th January 2015

A much-delayed $1.8 billion dam project under construction along Ethiopia’s Omo river could begin generating power by June and be fully operational by early 2016, an official said on Thursday. Gilgel Gibe 3 will nearly double the country’s energy output, helping to resolve chronic power outages and sustain a booming economy. Work started in 2008 and was due to be completed around three years later, but the project has faced funding.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 8th January 2015

With seven of the world’s fastest growing economies located in Africa, it should not be a surprise that the continent’s energy demands will only surge in the coming decade. Hence plenty of opportunities exist for clean energy companies as investors worldwide realize Africa, with all of its risks, is a booming market. To that end, California-based Solar Reserve, together with numerous partners, has completed and launched the Jasper PV.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 8th January 2015

WASHINGTON - By 2018, a large solar power plant in the Tunisian part of the Sahara desert may start sending power to energy-hungry Western Europe. The company running the plant says once it is fully operational it will generate almost twice as much electricity as an average nuclear plant and supply two million homes in Europe. According to the European Commission’s Institute for Energy, just 0.3 percent of the Saharan Desert's intense.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 8th January 2015

Kenya has taken some major steps to boost its renewable energy production recently, according to reports. However, confusion about projects and the government’s ambiguous energy policy is overshadowing excitement. Kenya’s renewable energy ambitions have attracted growing attention in recent months. There has been a strong uptick in interest in the country’s wind energy potential in particular. Last year, Kenya’s.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 8th January 2015

CPV producer Soitec said a 150MW CPV power plant previously announced would be scrapped as the customer, San Diego Gas & Electric was said to have encountered a “major roadblock” in developing the project.  Soitec said in a statement: “Certain of the administrative conditions pertaining to the transaction could not be fulfilled timely. Soitec will therefore not receive the expected CPV systems order from the.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 7th January 2015

France-headquartered renewable energy developer, Sonnedix, has finalised details of an 86MW PV power plant to be built in South Africa. The project, which falls under the third window of South Africa’s flagship renewable energy procurement programme, will be built in the country’s Northern Cape province. Sonnedix said in a statement today that it had completed all the main contracts for the project, including financing agreements.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 7th January 2015

Musoma — AS part of the government's rural electrification plan, a total of 45 villages in Mara Region will be connected to power through the Rural Energy Agency (REA), it has been announced. The announcement was made by the Minister of Energy and Minerals, Prof Sospeter Muhongo, who is on a six-day tour of the region to inspect implementation of the second phase of rural electrification projects undertaken by REA and Tanzania Electric.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 6th January 2015