Shell, a British multinational oil and gas company, has expanded its presence in Africa’s emerging power market through the acquisition of Daystar Power, a West African provider of hybrid solar power solutions to commercial and industrial (C&I) businesses
Daystar Power’s co-founders and management team will continue to grow its operations in its key West African markets, while expanding its presence to other African countries in East and southern Africa. By 2025, it plans to increase its installed solar capacity to 400MW.
Jasper Graf von Hardenberg, CEO and co-founder of Daystar Power, commented, “We have seen booming demand for solar energy in the African markets where we operate. That has been reflected in our growth: we are on-track to increase our installed solar capacity by 135% in 2022. As part of Shell we will be able to execute our mission even faster to deliver carbon emission reductions and power cost savings to businesses across Africa.”
Thomas Brostrøm, Shell’s executive vice-president, renewable generation, added, “This deal marks our first power acquisition in Africa and a fundamental step for Shell in growing our presence in emerging power markets. We have had a long and established presence in West Africa and with Daystar Power, we are taking our first steps into the renewable power space. As we do this, we’re helping to address a critical energy gap for many who currently rely on diesel generators for backup power. Daystar Power has a loyal customer base and a promising growth outlook, and by combining our efforts and expertise, I believe we can make a real difference in the energy transition, for West Africa and beyond.”
The acquisition, which is subject to regulatory approvals, will allow the West African commercial and industrial (C&I) solar provider to grow its operations in the region, while expanding across the African continent.
