INTELLIGENT BRANDS // GREEN TECHNOLOGY
portfolio of investments across
Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Actis is Power Africa’s newest
private sector partner. Actis’ energy
business invests in buy-and-build
power generation and distribution
businesses. The opportunity is
driven by market growth, scarcity of
electricity supply in growth markets
and demand for private investment.
The funds have invested over
US$2.1 billion in more than 31
companies across 25+ countries
generating 15GW of energy
capacity and directly impacted
68 million consumers. Power Africa
and Actis look forward to building
on their prior success, including
Azura-Edo, a 450 MW natural gas
project in Nigeria, under this
new partnership.
Grant signing & approvals
•
USTDA grant signing. On 8 June,
the US Trade and Development
Agency (USTDA) awarded a
grant of $746,200 to Standard
Microgrid Initiatives Limited to
fund a feasibility study to support
the deployment of 150 microgrid
units in Zambia, providing
access to electricity for 22,500
households over the next four
years and demonstrating the
competitiveness of US solar and
storage technologies. The project is
expected to serve as the first large-
scale deployment of photovoltaic
solar with storage microgrids in
rural Zambia.
•
USTDA approves funding for
three grants:
•
Madagascar Solar and Battery
Storage Minigrid Project: USTDA
granted funding to the Malagasy
energy company Henri Fraise Fils
& Cie (HFFC). It will conduct a
feasibility study to evaluate the
technical and economic viability
of deploying solar photovoltaic-
powered mini-grids with integrated
battery storage at up to 100 sites
across Madagascar. In partnership
with the US battery storage
manufacturer Fluidic, Inc., HFFC
will install and operate a combined
10 megawatt peak of solar power
•
generation and 87 megawatt
hours of battery storage capacity,
which could serve an estimated
27,600 households and businesses.
Zambia Wind Power Project:
USTDA approved funding for a
grant to Access Zambia Wind
One Limited that will fund a
feasibility study to evaluate the
technical and economic viability
and environmental and social
impact of developing a 130-140
MW wind power project in Zambia.
The project would be Zambia’s
first wind independent power
production (IPP) project.
Zambia Geothermal Power
Project: USTDA approved funding
for a grant to Zambian company
Kalahari GeoEnergy, to fund a
feasibility study evaluating the
technical and economic viability
and environmental and social
impact of developing a 10-20
MW geothermal power project
in Zambia. The project would
be Zambia’s first geothermal
power project. ¡
ENGIE and eleQtra sign an agreement
for wind power project in Ghana
E
NGIE and eleQtra, a developer
of power and transportation
projects in sub-Saharan Africa,
have signed a Joint Development
Agreement that defines the
terms and the schedule for the
development and construction of the
50 MW Ada Wind Power Project in
the Greater Accra Region in Ghana.
The project is expected to require an
investment of approximately $120
million and to start operations early
2019. ENGIE will enter as a 40%
partner in the project.
The Ada Wind Power Project is
located in the eastern part of
the Greater Accra region. The
combination of strong wind
resources, availability of open land
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and good access to transmission
infrastructure make this an excellent
location. The project was initiated
by eleQtra Limited. Initial studies
have already been completed and
demonstrate the project’s viability.
The Ada Wind project will contribute
to the Ghanaian Government’s
objective of generating 10% of its
electricity from renewable resources.
It is also in line with Ghana’s
ambition to become a power
generation hub in West Africa with
the benefit of exporting power to
its neighbours in the West African
Power Pool.
eleQtra Partner Ebbe Hamilton said:
“eleQtra is delighted to have ENGIE
joining the development of what we
believe will be the first wind energy
project in Ghana. We will now start
the next phase of the development in
order to bring the project as soon as
possible into operation.”
Philippe Miquel, Regional Manager
Western & Central Africa for ENGIE
said: “The Ghanaian Government is
looking to strengthen its renewable
energy industry and is putting in
place a regulatory framework that
should encourage the electrification
of the country in an affordable and
sustainable manner. The Ada Wind
project will be instrumental in the
diversification of Ghana’s energy
portfolio. Our partnership will bring
the technical experience, the local
knowledge and the funding required
to develop, construct and deliver this
competitive 50 MW wind project.” ¡
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