Page 14 - AfrElec Week 28

AfrElec
NEWS IN BRIEF
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from a centralised to a distributed model, with private capital remaining more exible than that which governments can deploy,” said Spencer.
Fellow new board member Maloba Tshehla of ED Platform believes that renewables will enable more autonomous economic growth for African businesses, cities and states which embrace the potential that technology can o er.
“Especially the rapid response and clear business case o ered by solar PV. Businesses across the continent now have a tangible option to power their own growth, while contributing to the large global cause of climate change mitigation,” explained Tshehla.
SOLAR
INDIA’s NTPC aims to secure foothold in Africa
India will leverage its solar power credentials to reclaim lost ground in Africa, with state- run NTPC Ltd planning to help International Solar Alliance’ (ISA) member countries— Gambia and Malawi—develop solar power parks to meet electricity demand, said two people aware of the development.
A er landing the project management consultancy contracts for developing solar parks in Mali and Togo, India’s largest power generation utility is also eyeing similar opportunities in other ISA member countries from Africa— Sudan, Mozambique, Egypt, Uganda, Rwanda and Niger.
is comes in the backdrop of China’s attempt to co-opt countries into its ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative.
“NTPC has identi ed ten member countries as leaders who may be willing to put up solar parks in the near future and would like to avail the services of NTPC
in assisting them as a turn key consultant. ISA has empanelled NTPC and will soon be doing another exercise to empanelment more PSUs (public sector units) from the member countries who have rich experience in solar space,” an ISA spokesperson said.
New Delhi’s playbook in Africa involves helping state runs rms such as NTPC secure these contracts under the aegis of ISA, the rst treaty-based international government organisation headquartered in India, that
is increasingly being viewed as a foreign policy tool. India’s strategic planners believe that the coronavirus pandemic has provided the opportunity to be seen as a developing country with a demonstrated ability to take lead in evolving regional and global strategies.
Drawing a comparison between Belt
and Road Initiative and India’s overseas infrastructure creation e orts, foreign minister S. Jaishankar had said India believes in a ‘so er and collaborative diplomacy’ wherein there is a ‘sense of partnership.’
“NTPC is also helping set up solar parks totalling 718MW in Mali and Togo. e preparatory work is on and the foundation stones are expected be laid in September,” said one of the people cited above, requesting anonymity.
With an installed capacity of 62GW, NTPC is targeting similar contracts to help set up 10GW capacity in ISA member countries. NTPC accounts for nearly a h of India’s installed power generation capacity of 370GW.
New Delhi’s support to freedom movements in many African countries had earned it considerable political clout in the region, but its popularity dwindled in the 1990s. However, since the middle of the last decade, India has made e orts to remedy that, reworking its ties with Africa through high- level summits and frequent top-level visits.
Green energy projects now account for more than a h of India’s installed power generation capacity. India has 34.6 GW of solar power and 38GW of wind power and has become one of the top renewable energy producers globally, with an ambitious capacity expansion plan to achieve 175GW of clean energy by 2022 and 500GW by 2030, as part of its climate commitments.
SOLAR
Swiss NEK to build 1,000MW of solar in Ghana
A Swiss-based company, NEK, is ready to construct 1,000MW of wind power for Ghana.
is forms part of plans to see to the implementation of the Renewable Energy Act (Act 832).
Details available show that the project would be executed in two phases: 150MW of wind power for phase one and 75MW for phase two.
e project will commence once the government gives the green light for its implementation.
When complete, the wind farms constructed by NEK will provide cheaper and more sustainable electricity.
For instance, the Ayitepa Wind Farm would o er the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) a more a ordable unit rate of electricity.
Jasmine Kappiah, the Project Manager of NEK said “NEK has supported the renewable energy plan by the government of Ghana.”
e Executive Director of the Institute of Energy Security (IES), Paa Kwesi Anamoah Sekyi tells Class Business Renewable Energy is the way to go.
“We think that renewables are the way to go. e best way for the global economy to recover is through green recovery,” he said.
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Week 28 16•July•2020