AfrElec - Africa Power Monitor

Extreme weather compounds impact of COVID-19 on climate change

2020 is set to be one of the three warmest years on record, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said this week, as the impact of COVID-19 drives forward the relentless march of climate change.

IEA warns slowdown in energy efficiency gains threatens climate goals

The IEA has warned that progress in energy efficiency is set to slow to less than 1% in 2020, the lowest rate in 10 years and a major brake on reaching major energy and climate goals.

Egyptian LNG plant set for restart after eight-year hiatus

1,400 GW of offshore wind is achievable if governments create the right conditions

Collaboration between industry, government and key stakeholders is needed to scale-up investment and technologies and to ensure sustainable growth

Buhari says state must ensure crude supplies to independent refineries

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed strong support for independent oil refineries by ordering government agencies and state-controlled companies to ensure deliveries of feedstock to such plants.

Nigeria’s TCN needs new grid investment

The Transmission Company of Nigeria has said Nigeria requires nothing less than NGN1 trillion to effectively wheel electricity through the national grid.

AfDB to lend $120mn to build Malagarasi HPP in Tanzania

The African Development Bank have approved a $120mn loan to fund the construction of a 50 MW hydropower plant in Western Tanzania that will provide reliable energy the Kigoma Region.

African utility-scale renewables set for 300% growth

Africa’s renewable energy capacity is set to rise by 300% between 2019 and 2025 as the industry posts six consecutive years of growth.

Enel to invest €70bn in renewables

Enel has announced plans to invest €70bn in renewables until 2030 in a bid to extends its green capacity to 120 GW.

EAIF lends $31mn to Tema regasification scheme

Local content to account for at least 55% of work on NLNG’s Train 7

Nigeria LNG (NLNG) intends to rely on local providers for at least 55% of the work that will be done on the Train 7 expansion project, according to Tony Attah, the managing director and CEO of the consortium.

Nigeria looks to import fuels from Niger

Eskom to cut power to non-payers

Eskom intends to cut off power supplies to one-third of South Africa’s municipalities for not paying their bills.

Bamboo Capital Partners to manage $40mn World Bank-led investment in Madagascar

Bamboo Capital Partners, an impact investing platform, is to act as international fund manager for Madagascar’s World Bank-led Off-Grid Market Development Fund (OMDF), which aims to invest $40mn in the country.

East Africa’s geothermal potential risks being left untapped

East Africa has so far failed to take advantage of its geothermal potential, with only 900 MW of generating capacity up and running.

Chinese investors withdraw from Kenya’s Lamu coal project

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) has decided not to finance the proposed 1,050-MW Lamu coal plant in Kenya.

Asian developers’ exit from Thabametsi confirmed by SA government

The Japan and South Korea-led Thabametsi Project Company has officially informed the South African government that it has withdrawn from the 630-MW Thabametsi coal-fired power project.

IRENA highlights continued shortfall in green investment

Global renewable energy investment increased between 2013 and 2018, reaching its peak of $351bn in 2017, according to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and Climate Policy Initiative (CPI).

Sudan hopes to offer 27 blocks to investors

Sudan’s Ministry of Energy and Mining has announced plans to offer more than two dozen new blocks to investors in the near future.

NLNG set to increase domestic LPG supplies by 28.6% in 2021

The Nigeria LNG (NLNG) consortium is gearing up to increase the volume of LPG reserved for domestic consumption by more than a quarter next year.

Nigeria shifts target date for passage of PIB back by three months

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has been pushing the National Assembly to pass the long-delayed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) before year-end, but his administration has now pushed the target date back by three months.

Scottish Widows to divest from thermal coal and tar sands

UK pensions investor Scottish Widows is to divest at least GBP440mn ($528mn) from companies that maintain their exposure to coal and weapons, among other factors, as it positions itself as an ethical investor.

Lamu could be too expensive for Kenya

Kenya Power said in its annual report this week that output at the country’s fossil fuel-fired thermal power plants fell 44% in the year to June 2019 as generation at the Lake Turkana wind power project ramped up.

Marubeni confirms exit for SA’s Thabametsi project

Japan’s Marubeni Corp. has confirmed it will not fund the Thabametsi coal-fired power plant in South Africa, following the withdrawal of some South African investors this week.

Siemens the next to exit coal

Siemens’ turbine manufacturing business will no longer make any bids to build new coal-fired power stations, although it will continue with its existing coal power business and will also not stop building gas-fired turbines.