Two off-grid projects were recently announced in Nigeria, one consisting of a partnership between Pan Africa Solar and BBOXX (PAS BBOXX), adding to the growing momentum of the off grid sector across Africa.
The first project, headed up by Pan Africa Solar, is an 80MW utility scale Photovoltaic Power Plant located in Katsina State, near the town of Kankia. The project focuses on a stable state in the north of the country, where – due to lack of available hydro resources and gas supply – renewables are the only long term sustainable option. The project will integrate panels mounted on tilting structures that track the path of the sun throughout the day, constructed on 210 hectares of land.
BBOXX is collaborating with Pan Africa Solar on a second project supplying the distributed energy service that is operating in Kano State, Northern Nigeria, with hopes to expand across the country.
BBOXX’s VP of Business Development, Anshul Patel shared his comments on the partnership and its plans: “Pan Africa Solar is a dedicated team with a core understanding of the Nigerian market; a very exciting BBOXX partner in a much underserved market. Nigeria has 60 million people who lack access to electricity. To date, 2000 people have been impacted by our work in Kano, and the business is currently in the process of scaling its operations. The partnership between BBOXX and PAS is instrumental in leveraging expertise in the off-grid business combined with local market knowledge to successfully scale operations with a goal of electrifying one million people by 2020.”
EnergyNet launched the Off the Grid Club initiative in 2016 to provide a networking platform for off-grid technology providers, financiers and regional leaders working in Africa’s off grid industry. The membership programme collaborates with partners such as the Shell Foundation, ElectriFi, Akon Lighting Africa and Solektra in developing and financing off grid projects to electrify rural communities in Africa.
From February 6 to 8, 2018, off-grid developments will be discussed by energy leaders in Kampala, Uganda at the “Africa Energy Forum: Off the Grid Summit” – held with the endorsement of Irene Muloni, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development of Uganda.
This meeting is co-located with the regional East Africa Energy & Infrastructure Summit. Both meetings will unite governments from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia, leading utility and regulatory companies from the region as well as international financiers, donor organisations and power developers to focus on what is needed to unlock investment in energy for regional growth.
