Energy

Solar classrooms rewrite Sierra Leone’s power story

Aptech Africa electrifies 69 Sierra Leone schools with off-grid solar systems. (Image source: Aptech Africa)

Aptech Africa has completed the installation of standalone solar PV systems across 69 schools in Sierra Leone’s Western Area, covering both urban and rural districts including Central I & II, East I–III, West I–III, Koya Rural, Waterloo Rural and Mountain Rural

The company is also responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the systems.

Designed as hybrid off-grid installations, the systems generate solar electricity during daylight hours while simultaneously charging battery storage units. During the night or periods of cloudy weather, stored battery energy ensures a continuous electricity supply without reliance on the national grid. The systems provide dependable power for lighting, computers, Wi-Fi routers and printers within school administration blocks, enabling internet connectivity and digital operations in areas lacking grid infrastructure.

Installation teams secured the solar panels on reinforced roof-mounted rail systems, while batteries and inverters were placed within protected and ventilated enclosures inside principals’ offices or school administration buildings. Each installation operates independently, supplying power solely to local school equipment such as lights, laptops, routers and printers. Electrical cabling, fuses and breakers were integrated according to industry standards, while detailed commissioning reports and maintenance documentation were prepared for every site to support future servicing requirements.

The rollout faced several logistical and environmental challenges during implementation.

Accessing remote schools, particularly within Mountain Rural and other rural districts, proved difficult due to poor road infrastructure. Teams relied on four-wheel-drive vehicles and support from local communities to transport personnel and equipment to project sites. To improve efficiency, installations were grouped geographically, allowing crews to complete several nearby schools during a single deployment. In some locations, equipment was temporarily stored at regional hubs to reduce transport delays.

Seasonal weather conditions also created interruptions. Sierra Leone’s heavy rainy season occasionally delayed rooftop installations and electrical works. Project teams adapted schedules around weather forecasts and used temporary coverings where possible to continue work safely during short rain periods. Flexible planning and additional time allocations enabled all 69 systems to be completed successfully despite these constraints.

The project is expected to deliver significant educational, economic and social benefits across participating schools and communities.

Reliable electricity now supports extended study hours, improved administration and enhanced access to digital learning tools. With continuous power for internet routers and computers, schools can connect students and staff to online educational resources and modern learning platforms. The solar systems effectively introduce digital infrastructure into previously underserved schools and 'make education more flexible and accessible by powering the technology and infrastructure needed for digital learning'.

Consistent power also helps bridge connectivity gaps in rural education. Internet routers and communications equipment can now operate independently through off-grid solar supply, ensuring reliable access for teachers and students. Devices such as laptops, mobile phones and printers can also be charged directly through the systems. International community solar initiatives have similarly identified device charging as an essential service for improving educational access.

Administrative functions within schools have also improved. Teachers and principals can now operate office equipment including fans, projectors, printers and phones without disruptions caused by unreliable electricity or fuel shortages. Stable lighting additionally supports safer environments, improved record management and better operational efficiency.

The shift from diesel generators and inconsistent grid supply is also reducing operational costs. Lower spending on fuel and electricity allows schools to redirect funds toward educational materials, maintenance and staff development. International research has shown that solar PV systems can reduce school electricity costs by between 20% and 50%. In some instances, excess power generated by schools may also be shared with nearby buildings.

Environmental gains are another major outcome of the initiative. Replacing diesel and gasoline generators with renewable solar power significantly cuts emissions and local pollution levels. Similar school electrification projects supported by UNICEF in Eritrea demonstrated reductions in carbon emissions while improving access to digital education. Over the operational life of the systems, the Freetown installations are expected to avoid substantial volumes of CO₂ emissions.

Beyond the schools themselves, the project is anticipated to strengthen community confidence in public education. Access to functioning lights, internet services and digital technology can help improve student attendance and encourage enrolment. Previous UNICEF-supported programmes found that improved school infrastructure, including solar-powered facilities, contributed to higher attendance rates among girls in rural communities.

Overall, the initiative highlights how solar PV systems can transform educational infrastructure in off-grid regions. Schools gain “improved learning environments” alongside greater access to digital tools while supporting broader sustainability and climate objectives. The project also demonstrates the wider potential for renewable energy to support connected, technology-enabled education systems throughout Sierra Leone.

Africa’s cement industry: the push for energy security

Hybrid power plant impression. (Image source: Wartsila Energy)

Africa’s cement industry is expanding quickly, driven by urbanisation, infrastructure investment and rising demand for housing. Yet behind this growth lies a persistent operational challenge: reliable and affordable access to electricity, writes Krzysztof Lokaj, Africa development manager, Wärtsilä Energy

Cement production is energy intensive and highly sensitive to power interruptions. Kilns operate continuously, and sudden shutdowns disrupt production and increase costs. In many African markets, however, limited access to grid power and volatile energy prices leave many cement producers with no other choices but to invest in power generation capabilities on site.

In this context, the question facing the cement industry is no longer whether to generate their own power, they often must, but which technology provides the most practical and resilient solution to do so.

The technological options typically envisaged include open-cycle gas turbines, reciprocating gas engines and sometimes even coal-fired steam turbines. But only one of these technologies offers the optimal balance of flexibility, reliability and affordability suited to highly demanding cement operations.

Flexibility in matching industrial power demand

An essential factor to take into consideration when assessing options is the way power demand fluctuates within cement plants. Although production processes often run continuously, electricity demand varies depending on grinding operations, maintenance cycles and seasonal production patterns.

By design, engine power plants are highly effective at adapting to these changing demand profiles since plant operators can simply change power output from each engine between 10% and 100% within minutes. Because they are composed of multiple engines operating in parallel, independent units can even be switched on or off to match real-time demand.

More importantly, flexible engines can operate stably at very low loads while maintaining high efficiency, giving operators a responsive tool for managing fluctuating power requirements. This capability allows the power plant to maintain very high electrical efficiency across a wide range of output levels.

This operational flexibility is also of paramount importance to support the integration of intermittent renewable energy in microgrids. As the cement industry increasingly turns to solar and wind to lower their carbon emission footprint, matching them with flexible engine capacity will provide the critical dispatch dependability needed in hybrid power plant configurations.

Open-cycle gas turbines, on the other hand, significantly lose efficiency when operating below full capacity. For industrial users that rarely operate at a constant full load, this translates into higher long-term fuel consumption, offsetting the turbines’ lower up-front cost. In a sector where energy costs represent a significant share of operating expenses, differences in efficiency over time will outweigh any initial capital cost advantages.

Unlike engines that can be turned on and off multiple times during a day and require no minimum up and down time, turbines need to operate constantly to avoid thermal stresses and therefore increased maintenance costs. This lack of operational flexibility will significantly undermine the efficiency, but also severely limit the performance of renewables in hybrid microgrid configurations.

Reliability & scalability as baseline requirements

For cement plants, electricity supply must be dependable above all else. Reciprocating engine power plants typically achieve availability rates over 98 percent, making them well suited to industrial environments where access to energy must always be dependable.

One reason for this reliability lies in the modular nature of engine-based plants. Unlike turbine power plants, their configuration allows individual units to be serviced without shutting down the entire plant. Servicing can be planned and carried out on site while the remaining engines continue to operate. Spare parts planning, local technical support and straightforward servicing procedures also help keep downtime to a minimum.

The modular structure of engine power plants also allows for new generation capacity to be expanded gradually. As cement plants increase production, additional generating units can be installed without redesigning the entire power system, whilst avoiding the need for oversized plants. This structural flexibility reduces investment risk, allowing power infrastructure to grow alongside industrial demand.

In this regard, engine power plants offer a degree of adaptability that is difficult to achieve with other generation technologies.

Coal, a cheap option with considerable downsides

Coal-fired power plants are sometimes considered as an alternative for captive power in certain countries, particularly where cheap coal resources are locally available. However, coal-based generation presents its own set of challenges for industrial users.

Much like open-cycle gas turbines, coal plants are designed primarily for steady, continuous operation and are less suited to environments where power output must adjust frequently and rapidly. Startup times can extend to many hours, and maintenance often requires large sections of the plant to be taken offline. This lack of flexibility negatively impacts project economics.

Environmental considerations also represent a major downside for coal. Financing institutions, investors and owners are paying closer attention to emissions profiles and long-term climate risks. As a result, coal-based power plants can encounter significant barriers to financing.

Preparing for an evolving energy landscape

Energy systems across Africa are evolving, with new gas infrastructure, renewable energy projects and volatile fuel markets reshaping the landscape. Industrial power solutions therefore need to be able to accommodate these transformations.

Of course, no single power technology is universally optimal. Yet, when, sustainability, scalability, reliability, operational flexibility and long-term efficiency are considered together, engine-based power plants present a compelling option for many cement producers across the continent.

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Hybrid power: energy security for mines in Africa

Ivanhoe Mines gives DRC power projects update

Work at Kamoa mine site (Image source: Ivanhoe Mines)

Canadian mining group Ivanhoe Mines has provided an update on its various power projects at its mine sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Construction of Kamoa-Kakula’s on-site solar (PV) facility, with battery storage, is advancing “on schedule”, it reported in its Q1 statement, delivering a total baseload of 60 MW to the copper complex from early Q3 2026.

The solar facility is already the largest solar project with battery storage on the African continent, the mining group added.

Kamoa-Kakula is planning to increase total on-site solar power generation capacity, with battery storage, to 120 MW by the end of 2027.

A tender was awarded, and a power purchase agreement (PPA) signed in late April for an initial 30 MW expansion of the existing on-site solar facilities.

“A further 30-MW facility is currently being tendered and is expected to be awarded in the next month,” the Q1 report noted.

However, energy supply at the mining complex is also underpinned by thermal power plant.

This has resulted in efforts to secure fuel supplies in a volatile market amid tensions in the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz.

“Preparations have been made across the group to secure on-site consumables in the event of continued global supply chain disruptions,” the company noted.

“This includes Kamoa-Kakula securing five months’ worth of diesel supply.”

However, the company added that the use of backup diesel generators could be be curtailed to rationalise diesel consumption.

Ivanhoe’s founder and co-chairman Robert Friedland said he remained bullish despite these challenges.

“Ivanhoe has a portfolio of tier-one mines powered by hydroelectric and solar power…built to withstand disruption,” he said.

“Our company is ideally positioned in this volatile environment, with exploding global demand for the copper, zinc, nickel and precious metals that we produce.”

At its Kipushi mine, the company is also currently tendering for a dedicated solar project with up to 200 megawatt hours (MWh) of battery energy storage.

This facility would provide 10 MW of baseload power, reducing reliance on the backup diesel generators that are used intermittently.

Located on a 70-hectare site near the mine, it is expected to be operational by the end of 2027.

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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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