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Zola Electric Announces Expansion into Nigeria
The expansion, according to the statement, was focused on improving environmental, health and economic outcomes while driving the transition to clean, renewable energy.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- renewable energy
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Freeing the Data to Build the Off-Grid Energy Sector: A Case Study from Tanzania
Mini-grids and solar home systems are showing promise in many parts of Tanzania and other countries. But Christopher Arderne at the World Bank and Pepukaye Bardouille at the IFC flag a key challenge: Lack of coordination and information-sharing between government and the private sector means off-grid developers may target sites that will become grid-connected before they can recover their investments. Arderne and Bardouille share some free new data tools that blend local participation and infrastructure mapping to help off-grid players avoid this risk.
- Categories
- Energy, Technology
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Machine Learning in PAYGo: What You Need to Know Before You Jump In
Machine learning is an exciting technology with plenty of potential applications in social impact business. But as Jacob Winiecki at BFA points out, the hype around the approach may make it tempting to jump in without first determining if it's the right tool for the job. He offers a clear run-down of how machine learning actually works in practice, along with three concrete steps for how a PAYGo enterprise can implement the technology, based on the work BFA’s FIBR Project has done with ZOLA, a leading PAYGo solar operator in Africa.
- Categories
- Energy, Finance, Technology
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Press release: OPIC Provides Initial Financing to SunFunder’s Solar Energy Transformation Fund to Expand Access to Beyond the Grid Solar
The Solar Energy Transformation Fund is one of a group of investment vehicles managed by SunFunder, a solar energy finance business with offices in the U.S., London and Nairobi working to scale up clean energy access in Africa and Asia by financing solar companies active in off-grid and weak-grid communities.
- Source
- Press release
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Three Key Trends in Social Impact: Announcing NextBillion’s Special Series for 2019
NextBillion is pleased to announce the topics of our three special series for 2019: “By Women, For Women: Leaders and Innovations in Gender Equity,” “Scaling Up Without Selling Out,” and “New Frontiers in Renewable Energy.” Each series will be managed by a different member of NextBillion’s editorial team: Check out the descriptions and email the appropriate editor if you’d like to explore a potential guest post on any of these topics. We’re looking forward to seeing how the discussion in these series will develop in the coming months.
- Categories
- Energy, Finance, Investing, Social Enterprise
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Igniting Growth in the DRC: How Renewable Energy Can Power Urban Development
Off-grid solar systems have been a key to bringing energy access to the rural poor across East Africa. Yet in the Democratic Republic of Congo, just 9 percent of the population have access to electricity. Flavia Howard, a strategy consultant for social entrepreneurs, argues that in spite of the disruption caused by disease and war, her research shows that the country presents a compelling market for distributed energy solutions.
- Categories
- Energy
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FirstBank, Azuri partner to bring solar to millions and deepen financial inclusion in Nigeria
More than 60 million of Nigeria’s roughly 200 million people do not have bank accounts and as little as 6% of people have a mobile money account.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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A new source of clean energy? Urine luck!
Robial, a new spinout company from the University of West England, is planning to commercialise a technology that converts urine and wastewater into electricity, powering lighting, mobile phones and other devices. But just how far can you get on pee power?
- Categories
- Energy
- Tags
- renewable energy
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