-
Analysis: Africa: Energy Efficiency for Developing Countries – Pivoting From Fewer Inputs to More Outputs
Energy efficiency (EE) is often marketed as a tool to save energy and money. The oft-repeated mantra is doing "more with less", namely producing more goods with less energy. But, as set out in a recent World Bank report (which I co-authored), EE can do something that is often much more important for developing countries: it can produce the additional goods and services needed to raise standards of living.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
CrossBoundary Offers up Its Mini Grids Business Model for African Peers to Benefit
The Kenyan financial services business has been developing rural mini grids across Africa and has announced plans to show its rivals how such networks can thrive, in a bid to accelerate access to electricity on the continent.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Bboxx and EDF Cultivate Partnership to Deliver Solar-Powered Farming in Togo
Bboxx, a next-generation utility, and EDF, a global leader in low-carbon energies, are expanding access to solar-powered irrigation systems for thousands of farmers in Togo.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
IFC and Kobo360 Partner to Support Innovative Solutions in Nigeria’s Agriculture and Health Sectors
The International Financial Corporation (IFC) in partnership with African e-logistics start-up, Kobo360 has announced a call for innovators all over the world to bring climate-smart, Temperature-Controlled Logistics (TCL) cooling solutions to Nigeria to help the country address food waste challenges, support its health sector, and reduce its energy consumption.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy, Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
The Nexus of Agriculture and Energy in Africa: Five Lessons for Bridging the Ag-Energy Gap
Agriculture should be a key market for rural energy providers in Africa. Growing agribusinesses and smallholder farmers need modern energy to thrive, and rural energy enterprises need reliable consumers to anchor demand for their services. Yet as Seth Silverman and Tom Chaplin at Factor[e] Ventures explain, a gap remains between the two industries, and ag-energy projects struggle to draw commercial investment. They explore some promising ways to fill that gap, sharing lessons from a new report.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy
-
Press Release: Husk Power Systems Becomes First Minigrid Company to Power 100 Communities, 5,000 Small Business Customers
Today, Husk Power Systems, (huskpowersystems.com), the leading rural energy company operating renewable minigrids in Asia and Africa, announced that it has achieved two industry firsts: surpassing 100 community minigrids, and serving more than 5,000 micro-enterprise customers.
- Categories
- Energy
-
Where’s the Capital for Home-Grown Companies? Why Energy Access Investments in Kenya Need to Go Local
So far this year, 75% of global investment commitments in off-grid solar technology have gone to just three companies — a troubling trend since 2012. And as Kevin Johnstone at the International Institute for Environment and Development points out, many of the founders of the biggest solar companies are North American or European. Focusing on Kenya, he explores why the energy access sector needs more businesses founded, managed and run by local entrepreneurs, and what needs to be done to align investors and capital markets with Kenyan investment opportunities.
- Categories
- Energy, Entrepreneurship, Investing
-
SunCulture Wants to Turn Africa Into the World’s Next Bread Basket, One Solar Water Pump at a Time
The world’s food supply must double by the year 2050 to meet the demands of a growing population, according to a report from the United Nations. And as pressure mounts to find new crop land to support the growth, the world’s eyes are increasingly turning to the African continent as the next potential global bread basket.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa