Energy

MCA unveils Angola’s Luau solar park

Laua solar park to boost Angola's clean energy sector (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Portuguese engineering firm MCA Group has inaugurated what it says is Africa’s largest off-grid solar park in Angola’s Luau municipality — marking a major milestone for renewable energy development along the strategically important Lobito Corridor

The opening of the €87mn Luau Photovoltaic (PV) Park was attended by Angolan President João Lourenço and Energy and Water Minister João Baptista Borges.

The facility has a generation capacity of 31.85 MWp and battery storage of 75.26 MWh, supplying electricity to more than 90,000 people without relying on fossil fuels.

According to MCA, the project surpasses the capacity of the nearby Cazombo Solar PV Park, previously regarded as the continent’s largest off-grid installation.

Together, the two projects form part of Angola’s wider Rural Electrification Programme, which aims to deploy 46 autonomous solar mini-grids across 60 communes by 2027, potentially benefiting more than one million people.

MCA’s chairman Manuel Couto Alves called it an important step in Angola’s energy transition as it expands solar power capacity throughout the country.

“The completion of the Cazombo and Luau parks marks just the beginning of a structural and ambitious programme which will continue to expand in the coming years,” he said.

“We believe that energy transforms lives, creates opportunities and strengthens regions, and it is with this aim that we will continue to work, side by side with the communities, to ensure that electrification reaches where it makes the most difference.”

The Luau facility includes nearly 55,000 solar panels and is expected to save around 18 million litres of fuel annually while reducing carbon emissions.

The project, which created more than 200 local jobs during construction, was jointly developed with Angola’s state-owned utility PRODEL EP, while financing was arranged by Standard Chartered Bank with support from German export credit agency Euler Hermes under the European Union’s Global Gateway infrastructure strategy.

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Elgin Orchards pure-air switchgear project

Schneider-Technoserve-switchgear-equipment-Elgin-Orchards

Project implementation at Elgin Orchards (Image source: Schneider Electric)

Schneider Electric and Technoserve Medium Voltage (MV) have implemented RM AirSeT SF₆-free medium voltage (MV) switchgear at Elgin Orchards, one of South Africa’s leading fruit producers

Situated in Grabouw in the Western Cape, the project marks another step in the continued adoption of RM AirSeT and its pure-air switchgear technology in the South African marketplace.

“The RM AirSeT installation at Elgin Orchards delivers 100% elimination of SF₆, improved reliability, and cost savings of up to 20% over the system’s lifecycle,” said Brighton Mwarehwa, offer and marketing director for power systems at Schneider Electric.

“It’s more than equipment; it’s a step toward responsible growth and energy resilience”.

The installation of the RM AirSeT forms part of Elgin Orchard’s journey to establish sustainable and resilient operations.

The switchgear replaces an existing Schneider Electric RM6 unit which has been moved to a new cold storage plant – a move that underscores the fruit producer’s commitment to resource efficiency.

“At Elgin Orchards, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do,” said Neil Reid at Elgin Orchards.

“Togeher with Schneider Electric and Technoserve Medium Voltage we’ve made a change that aligns to reliable, safe and low-carbon energy”.

According to Schneider Electric, the RM AirSeT represents the ‘next generation’ of sustainable switchgear, using pure air insulation and vacuum technology instead of sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆), a greenhouse gas (GHG) with 24,300 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.

By removing SF₆ entirely, Elgin Orchards has achieved measurable carbon footprint reduction and eliminated associated regulatory risks, while ensuring uninterrupted operations for its cold chain and processing facilities.

“The RM AirSeT offers not just reliability but future-proof flexibility,” said Evans Coetzee, general manager at Technoserve MV.

“It’s compact, robust and digital-ready, providing Elgin Orchards with a durable and sustainable medium-voltage solution that’s simple to install and maintain. The swap from RM6 to RM AirSeT was seamless and completed in a single day, minimising downtime.”

Coetzee said the RM AirSeT delivers up to 10,000 switching cycles and offers integrated digital capabilities for real-time monitoring and diagnostics through Schneider’s Easergy T300 platform.

“This makes it ideally suited for hybrid energy systems, frequent operations and future smart grid integration,” he said.

“The Elgin Orchards project is a clear example of how sustainability and performance can coexist,” said Mwarehwa.

“By replacing SF₆ with pure air, we are helping our customers transition towards cleaner, more resilient energy systems without compromising reliability or safety.”

Mwarehwa added: “It demonstrates how innovation in electrical distribution can make a tangible impact on climate goals while supporting South Africa’s all-important agricultural sector.”

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Toyota Tsusho completes Tunisia solar power milestone

Toyota Tsusho launches two Tunisia solar plants, delivering 100MW clean energy to 120,000 homes nationwide. (Image source: Toyota Tsusho)

Toyota Tsusho Corporation has announced that, through its Group company AEOLUS SAS, it has completed construction of two solar power plants in Tunisia with a combined capacity of 100MW, and both facilities have now entered commercial operation

The development marks Toyota Tsusho’s first renewable energy project in Tunisia and the first investment project undertaken by AEOLUS.

The two plants were developed in Tunisia’s Sidi Bouzid Governorate and Tozeur Governorate through an operating company financed by AEOLUS and Scatec ASA, a Norwegian company specialising in the construction and operation of solar power facilities.

The Sidi Bouzid Mezzouna PV Power project, with a capacity of 50MW, commenced commercial operations on January 1, 2026. The Tozeur PV Power facility, also rated at 50MW, began commercial operations on March 4, 2026.

Together, the two plants are expected to provide electricity equivalent to the yearly consumption of around 120,000 Tunisian households. The project is also projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 108,000 tonnes annually. Power generated from the facilities will be supplied to the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas under a 30-year agreement.

Both solar projects were selected under the Ministry of the Environment, Japan Financing Programme for Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) Model Projects in fiscal year 2023.

Toyota Tsusho Group stated that it is advancing carbon neutrality initiatives to help create a better global environment for future generations. In Africa, under the key message 'for the future children of Africa,' the Group said it will continue promoting green businesses that support social development and economic growth across the continent.

The Ministry of the Environment, Japan has been implementing the 'JCM Model Projects,' which provide financial assistance covering up to half of the initial investment costs. The programme is designed to support projects that lower greenhouse gas emissions through advanced decarbonisation technologies in developing countries, while enabling the acquisition of JCM credits that contribute to Japan’s emissions reduction goals and partner countries’ climate targets. This Tunisia project is being carried out with the cooperation of the Tunisian and Japanese governments.

Gabon infrastructure boost at Sogara refinery

Sogara set to bolster refining capacity in Gabon (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Technip Energies has been awarded two front-end engineering design (FEED) contracts by Société Gabonaise de Raffinage (Sogara) for its refinery in Port-Gentil, Gabon

The FEED scope covers both the revamp and the expansion of the existing refinery.

"We are pleased to have been entrusted by Sogara with these two contracts, which reflect our recognised expertise in both brownfield optimisation and complex greenfield project development,” said Loïc Chapuis, president project delivery & services at Technip Energies.

The first contract covers the FEED for debottlenecking Sogara’s existing refinery.

It targets key process units and includes a new kerosene sweetening unit and four new storage facilities.

Technip Energies will ensure full process integration across existing and new units.

The second contract covers the FEED for a new, modularised hydrocracker complex designed to significantly expand refining capacity.

The scope also includes various infrastructure works, including a new marine jetty and offloading facility.

Chapuis said that Technip Energies will leverage its engineering and integration know-how into the projects, including its proprietary Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) technology for hydrogen production.

“The new hydrocracker complex demonstrates our ability to combine engineering excellence, technology integration, and our proprietary SMR hydrogen technology to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions,” Chapuis added.

Both projects are designed to meet Africa 5 fuel quality standards – the continent’s most stringent specifications for sulphur content in transportation fuels – supporting a meaningful reduction in sulphur emissions and improved air quality for local communities.

They will also support Gabon’s economic development and local employment.

“This award reinforces our commitment to modernising refining infrastructure across Africa and creating lasting value for our clients and local communities,” said Chapuis.

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Phelan selects Honeywell technology for South Africa eSAF

Phelan selects Honeywell technology for South Africa eSAF. (Image source: Honeywell)

Phelan Green, through its clean fuels division Phelan eFuels, has selected process technology from Honeywell for its planned electro-sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) facility in Saldanha Bay, Western Cape, South Africa

The project will utilise Honeywell UOP’s Fischer Tropsch (FT) Unicracking technology, which converts FT liquids and waxes derived from CO₂ into eSAF that meets aviation industry standards. The technology is designed to enable efficient and scalable production of low-carbon fuels.

“We selected Honeywell’s Fischer Tropsch Unicracking process technology because it provides a proven, bankable pathway to produce sustainable aviation fuel at scale,” said chairman Paschal Phelan.

“This project is a major milestone for Phelan Green and for South Africa’s emerging eFuels economy, and demonstrates our commitment to industrial development, job creation and innovative energy projects that are at the cutting edge of emission reduction.”

The planned facility is a central component of the Phelan Green Hydrogen Project, a R47bn (approximately US$2.5bn) private investment that has been officially recognised by the South African government as a nationally strategic green industrial initiative. Once operational, it is expected to rank among the world’s first commercial-scale eSAF plants, supplying more than 140,000 tonnes of fuel to markets in the EU and the UK.

“Honeywell’s technologies are designed to enable scalable, efficient and flexible production of low-carbon fuels,” said Rajesh Gattupalli, president of Honeywell UOP.

“In this case, our Fischer Tropsch Unicracking process technology will help support Phelan eFuels’ goal to encourage commercial scale sustainable aviation fuel production in South Africa.”

Construction of the Saldanha Bay facility is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. The development is expected to generate thousands of jobs across its various phases, while strengthening South Africa’s position as a future export hub for next-generation aviation fuels.

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