Energy

The plant operates with six Wärtsilä 32 engines and six Wärtsilä 32 twin turbochargers. (Image source: Wärtsilä)

Wärtsilä has signed a renewal of its operations & maintenance (O&M) agreement covering the 105MW power plant in Zambia

The plant is owned by Ndola Energy Company (NECL) and will continue the agreement which has been in force since 2013.

Brian Mushimba, CEO at NECL, remarked, “We have worked closely with Wärtsilä for a number of years, and we are confident that they will continue to successfully operate and maintain the plant to ensure reliable supply of electricity.”

By ensuring the reliability and availability of the plant, NECL can meet its power purchase agreement obligations with Zambia’s utility, ZESCO. While hydropower is the main source of electricity in the country, the nation is facing an electricity shortage due to a drought that has impacted the renewable resource. As such, the NECL, is a vital contributor to maintaining a reliable electricity supply.

"We value long-term partnerships and collaboration with our customers,” commented Marc Thiriet, energy business director, Africa at Wärtsilä Energy. “This agreement renewal is a good example of our commitment to support our customers throughout the lifecycle of their installation and ensure continued productivity and profitability of their operations. Our long-term presence also allows us to support the local economy and community in countries such as Zambia.”

Bboxx Power solar panel installation. (Image source: Bboxx)

Bboxx, a data-driven super platform that is dedicated to transforming lives and connecting consumers, has received Gold Standard certification for carbon credit programmes in multiple countries across sub-Saharan Africa

The certification – a voluntary carbon offset programme focused on progressing the UN SDGs – covers a range of clean energy solutions including solar home systems, PAYGO clean cooking solutions, and solar-powered water pumps. The programme covers the company’s operations in multiple African countries including Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, Togo and the DRC.

Anthony Osijo, CEO of Bboxx, remarked, “Bboxx is leading the way in the delivering a range of clean energy solutions. It is our mission to accelerate clean energy access and adoption and, as well as products and services, the deployment of carbon credits will enable more capital to flow into this crucial part of the energy transition in Africa.

“This Gold Standard certification solidifies Bboxx's position as a leader in decentralised clean energy, showcasing the company's dedication to innovation, social impact, and environmental stewardship as well as meeting and surpassing the rapidly evolving expectations of our consumers.

“It’s our responsibility to commit to scalability and ensure we’re providing more people with access to innovative solutions which will build the resilience of communities on top of being a significant market opportunity.”

Bboxx’s clean cooking programme enables families to access safer cooking fuels while paying for only the energy they use. Investing in this carbon off-setting programme will create annual credits by replacing traditional cookstoves with efficient LPG stoves. According to Bboxx, the projects are expected to offset more than 20mn tons of carbon emissions, generating US$100mn worth of carbon credits.

Earlier this year, Bboxx reiterated its dedication to Africa by moving its headquarters from London to Kigali. Click here to find out more.

According to IRENA solar PV and onshore wind will have the biggest impact on the tripling of renewables. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewables are remaining competitive despite fossil fuel prices returning closer to historical cost levels

These findings were revealed in the Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2023 report, released by IRENA at the Global Renewables Summit during the UN General Assembly in New York. It showed that the years of falling costs and improving technology for renewables (particularly in regard to solar and wind), has made the socio-economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy development uniquely compelling.

As such, the organisation has shown that of the 473GW of renewables added in 2023, 81% had lower costs than their fossil fuel alternatives. The report also found that the renewable power deployed globally since 2000 has saved up to US$409bn in fuel costs within the power sector.

“Renewable power remains cost-competitive vis-à-vis fossil fuels,” remarked IRENA’s director-general Francesco La Camera. “The virtuous cycle of long-term support policies has accelerated renewables. In return, growth has led to technology improvements and cost reductions. Prices for renewables are no excuse anymore, on the contrary. The record growth of renewables in 2023 exemplifies this. Low-cost renewables represent a key incentive to significantly increase ambition and triple renewable power capacity by 2030, as modelled by IRENA and set by the UAE Consensus at COP28.”

Triple renewable target

The goal of tripling renewables by 2030 was set at COP28 and requires global renewable energy capacity to reach 11.2TW by the end of the decade. This averages out to 1,044GW of new capacity added annually in this time. Previously, IRENA has warned that the world is at great risk of missing this target and the new report offers advice to ensure this is not the case.

Principally, it suggests that progress must be supported by key energy transition enablers such as storage. Battery storage project costs have dropped by 89% between 2010 and 2023, facilitating the integration of high shares of solar and wind capacity by helping address grid infrastructure challenges.

“In the coming years, remarkable growth across all renewable energy sources is expected, giving countries great economic opportunities,” added La Camera. “Our analysis indicates that solar PV and onshore wind will have the biggest impacts on the tripling of renewables. Thanks to low-cost renewables in the global market, policy makers have an immediate solution at hand to reduce fossil fuels dependency, limit the economic and social damage of carbon-intensive energy use, drive economic development and harness energy security benefits.”

In 2023, the global weighted average cost of electricity from newly commissioned renewable projects across most technologies fell, for solar photovoltaics by 12%, for onshore wind by 3%, for offshore wind by 7%, for concentrating solar power by 4% and for hydropower by 7%.

In non-OECD economies where electricity demand is growing and new capacity is needed, renewable power generation projects with lower costs than fossil fuel-fired equivalents for their country and region will significantly reduce electricity system costs over the life of their operation.

The project will deliver clean energy for two-wheelers. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Kofa Technologies Ltd, a Ghanaian company providing clean and portable battery solutions, and PASH Global, a leading impact investor, have announced the expansion of Kofa’s battery swapping network in Ghana

This Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) expansion is backed by a £2.35mn (US$3.04mn) commitment from Shell Foundation, co-funded with the UK Government through its Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform. Shell Foundation and TEA are committing an additional £1.4mn (US$1.86mn) to support Kofa's e-bike asset financing, research on the impact of Kofa’s multi-use battery technology, and operating expenses.

The network is targeting a deployment of 6,000 batteries and up to 100 swap stations across Ghana, ensuring that energy is accessible anytime, anywhere, and promoting the transition to clean energy and the large-scale adoption of EVs in Africa. PASH also intends, in due course, to transform these swap stations to be fully powered by solar power, further increasing the impact of the station.

Clean energy for electric two-wheelers

The project aims to deliver reliable, affordable, and clean energy for electric two-wheelers while also supplying power to small businesses and homes that currently depend on small petrol generators—helping to displace these generators and significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Preliminary analysis indicates that electric motorcycles in Ghana are already up to 20% cheaper to operate compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. As battery prices continue to decline, these savings are expected to increase, further incentivising the shift to electric vehicles.

Speaking at the launch event, Lord Collins of Highbury, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Africa) said, “Today’s announcement demonstrates the UK’s continued commitment to supporting clean energy initiatives across the world. This project not only fosters economic growth, it also strengthens the UK’s partnership with Ghana, contributing to a greener, more resilient future for Ghana.”

“The partnership between Kofa and PASH represents a powerful step forward in delivering sustainable energy solutions across Africa," said Kofi Owusu Bempah, founder and CEO of PASH Global. "With the strong backing of Shell Foundation and the UK Government, we are well-positioned to lead the charge in the e-mobility revolution, beginning with this transformative project in Ghana.”

“This initiative is a significant step toward cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions in Ghana. With the support of our partners, we are building a foundation that will not only benefit local communities and businesses but also serve as a model for clean energy innovation across Africa,” said Erik Nygard, CEO of Kofa Technologies.