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Press Release: Panda Partners With Lion’s Head Global Partners
Solar Panda Corporation, a company selling PAYGo solar home systems in Kenya, has secured a loan from FEI-OGEF, the African Development Bank’s flagship Off-Grid Energy Access Fund managed by Lion’s Head Global Partners. OGEF becomes a new syndicate lender, augmenting an existing $15 million framework deal with Lendable.
- Categories
- Energy
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Zambian Startup Widenergy Raises New Funding to Scale Its Impact
Zambian startup WidEnergy, a woman-led for-profit social enterprise dedicated to female empowerment and the expansion of affordable energy access, has raised a new round of funding to help scale its impact.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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State Plans to Police Solar Industry with Tough Rules in Kenya
The government plans to widen surveillance of the solar industry. The move has seen the State introduce new requirements for industry players including technicians, manufacturers of equipment and traders.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- energy access, governance, solar
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Press Release: U.S. Government’s Power Madagascar to Bring Electricity to 5,200 Rural Homes and Businesses
The United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Power Africa initiative, has awarded three companies in Madagascar a combined $1.2 million in grant funding to develop mini-grids that will bring electricity to more than 5,200 rural homes and businesses. These grants are part of the U.S. Government’s $3 million effort to increase energy production and electricity access in Madagascar.
- Categories
- Energy, Investing, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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EDFI ElectriFI Invests in Candi’s PV Solar Solutions for Indian SMEs
EDFI ElectriFI invested EUR 2,68m junior debt in candi, a platform that finances, builds and operates solar solutions for SMEs in emerging markets, whereby the aim is to help customers improve their bottom line while at the same time creating a positive environmental impact.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- renewable energy, solar
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Manufacturing a COVID-19 Recovery: Why Building Local Manufacturing Capacity Is Key To Africa’s Pandemic Response
COVID-19 is taking a heavy toll on sub-Saharan Africa's economies. And as Salma Okonkwo at Blue Power Energy Ltd. points out, the region is particularly vulnerable because it relies on international imports and exports for much of its GDP. She proposes an effective way to help Africa recover from the pandemic and build resilience to future shocks: developing local manufacturing.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Energy
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Bringing Refugee Camps Out of the Dark: An Entrepreneur-Driven Solution To Clean Energy for the World’s Most Vulnerable Communities
There are almost 80 million forcibly displaced people worldwide – and among refugees living in rural settlements, 90% have very limited access to electricity. Sofia Ollvid at SolarAid discusses its innovative collaboration in Malawi's Dzaleka refugee camp, which mobilizes the support of refugee entrepreneurs to bring solar lighting to a population that's been living in the dark.
- Categories
- Energy, Social Enterprise
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Local Solar Enterprises Are Changing Women’s Lives in Kenya: Why Won’t Investors Support Them?
In Kenya, women are battling climate change by using solar products made by innovative local companies. Yet as Sanjoy Sanyal and Chen Chen at the World Resources Institute and Deborah Mburu at IDEAS TANK point out, these companies remain under-supported by the international investing community. They highlight a few of these women and businesses – and urge investors to get off the sidelines.
- Categories
- Energy, Investing, Social Enterprise