Countries and Markets

ALGERIA: Desertec withdrawal embarrasses minister

After the government surprised many observers by announcing in April that membership of the Desertec Industrial Initiative would be central to its ambitious renewable energy policy, recently appointed energy minister Abdelmadjid Attar has announced that Algeria is pulling out of the German-led scheme. Attar in mid-September announced that prime minister Abdelaziz Djerrad’s government had decided to “abandon” Desertec. However, the renewable energy and energy transition minister appointed in July, Professor Chems-Eddine Chitour, subsequently told local journalists that “to my great shame” he had not been informed of any move to end Algerian involvement. Chitour’s ministry has been spun out of Attar’s Ministry of Energy, which is focused on hydrocarbons (AE 419/17). The agreement for Algeria to work with Desertec was signed by Attar’s predecessor Mohamed Arkab (AE 412/5).

KENYA: Malindi solar expected online in January

Globeleq’s 40MW Malindi solar PV project in Kilifi County is now expected online in January 2021. Construction faced delays due to Covid-19 restrictions and before that logistical challenges faced by EPC contractor Sterling and Wilson. Construction teams have been remobilised and work is proceeding at full capacity, Globeleq told African Energy. Malindi was one of four solar projects that signed power purchase agreements with Kenya Power in June 2017. Construction began in June 2019 with $52m financing from the United Kingdom’s CDC Group and Germany’s DEG. Africa Energy Development Corporation, which originally co-developed the project alongside the Investment and Development of East Africa Power Group (Idea Power), retains a 10% stake, with the remainder owned by Globeleq.

KENYA: Elsewedy joins Rumuruti solar PV project

Egypt’s Elsewedy Electric has partnered local developer Kenergy Renewables to develop the 40MW Rumuruti solar PV project in Laikipia County. The company replaces Norway’s Norfund and Scatec Solar, which left the project citing long delays (AE 422/9). Rumuruti signed power purchase agreement with Kenya Power in May 2018 and expects to generate around 121GWh/yr (AE 370/4). The sponsors expect construction to begin on the project in 2021. In a statement, the pair said: “With Elsewedy’s decades of power sector experience across the continent and its recent appointment of power sector veteran Christian Wright as its chief executive, Elsewedy is well placed to work hand in hand with Kenergy to deliver the project to construction and operation.”

RWANDA/BURUNDI/DR CONGO: Consulting engineers appointed for Ruzizi III

Germany’s Fichtner in consortium with France’s Nodalis Conseil and ISL Ingénierie have been awarded a contract worth €3.585m to act as consulting engineers for the 147 MW Ruzizi III hydropower project on the borders of Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The contract, which was awarded on 10 August, will involve supporting Electricité des Grands Lacs, the three states and their respective utilities/offtakers throughout the development phases with regards to technical, legal, financial, environmental and commercial issues, according to a notice published on 22 September by Germany Trade & Invest. These advisory services, which begin this month and run through to August 2028, will be financed by a German government grant and the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund

SOUTH AFRICA: Bokamoso solar PV online

The 67.9MW Bokamoso solar PV plant in South Africa has begun operating, the project company announced. The plant is the largest in North West province, comprising 236,580 solar panels on a 150ha site, and has been under construction since November 2018. It is expected to generate 177,660MWh/yr. Juwi Renewables South Africa was the engineering, procurement and construction contractor and will be responsible for operations and maintenance for five years. Bokamoso is owned 50.01% by the Infrastructural, Developmental and Environmental Assets (Ideas) Managed Fund, which is managed by African Infrastructure Investment Managers, 15% by Phakwe Power, 15% by Patrice Motsepe’s African Rainbow Energy and Power, 15% by Reatile and 4.99% by a local community trust.