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Revitalizing Off-Grid Solar: Why Africa’s PAYGo Sector is Ready for a New Dawn
Africa's off-grid solar sector, particularly pay-as-you-go (PAYGo) solar, has passed through a period of disillusionment among investors, as profitability has remained elusive. But as Chris Emmott at Acumen, Audrey Desiderato at Mirova and Bankole Cardoso at Delta40 Venture Studio argue, the sector nevertheless stands on the cusp of becoming a mature industry with real and sustainable impact. They explain why they remain optimistic about the future of PAYGo solar as impact investors, and why it's time for honest conversations and compromise from all stakeholders — including companies and their investors — about how the industry can move into the next stage of its development.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Finance, Investing, Technology
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Kenya Declares Olkaria a Special Economic Zone to Boost Clean Energy Investments
The 8,292-acre Olkaria SEZ is set to attract local and international investors with incentives such as tax exemptions, infrastructure support, and access to affordable geothermal power.
- Categories
- Energy, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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BII Provides $100 Million Towards Green Investments and Financial Inclusion in Africa
The funding aims to drive sustainable growth by facilitating lending to climate-related projects and women-led enterprises, expanding financial inclusion, and helping to close the region’s $42bn gender financing gap.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Finance, Transportation
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Gender Incentives in Climate Finance: Doubling Down on Proven Approaches During Uncertain Times
With the endpoint of the SDGs just five years away, multiple factors have combined to undercut gender and climate-focused funding in several key global economies. Edward T. Jackson, Yiagadeesen Samy and Katie Turner argue that gender incentives in climate finance offer an effective solution to this dual challenge. They explore how these incentives can boost the supply of affordable, renewable energy, while improving wages and economic autonomy for women workers — and they argue that if there were ever a time to double down on this approach, it is now.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing
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SolarAfrica Secures $98 Million in Implementing the First Phase of Its 1 GW SunCentral Solar Project in South Africa
SunCentral is a large-scale solar photovoltaic plant located between Hanover and De Aer in the Northern Cape.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- energy access, renewable energy, scale, solar
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£3.5 Million CEPREC Centre Launched to Tackle Africa’s Energy Challenges
The initiative is a collaboration among over 30 stakeholders from government, industry, and academia across the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa.
- Categories
- Energy, Technology, WASH
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Lessons from a Decade of Investing in a Frontier Market: What Impact Investors Can Learn from Nepal’s First International Private Equity Fund
Over a decade ago, the first international private equity and impact fund dedicated to Nepal – Dolma Impact Fund — was launched. As Tim Gocher at Dolma Fund Management explains, in those days it was rare for Nepalese companies to receive any foreign direct investment, let alone institutional private equity or impact capital. He discusses the challenges Dolma experienced in bringing private equity investment to Nepal, and shares key lessons for other impact investors looking to enter frontier markets.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing
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ARE & REIAMA Partner to Boost Decentralised Renewable Energy in Malawi
This partnership is designed to address policy and regulatory challenges, strengthen capacity building, support private sector development, and advocate for policies that drive energy access, energy security, and climate action.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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