Ressources
On-Site Solar and Sustainable Electrification in Sub-Saharan Africa
In the webinar On-Site Solar and Sustainable Electrification in Sub-Saharan Africa, taking place on 17 February 2020 from 10:30 – 12:00 CET, SolarPower Europe in collaboration with GET.invest, will gather European and African experts of on-site solar to explore the existing opportunities for on-site solar in sub-Saharan Africa. The webinar will include a presentation introducing the main trends, challenges, and opportunities for on-site solar in sub-Saharan Africa. The presentation will be followed by an open discussion that will focus on the technical and business innovations that are bringing sustainable electricity to sub-Saharan Africa.
The commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftop market segment has shown strong growth in recent years, with developers seeking to circumvent administrative barriers and grid issues associated with large-scale solar projects. There is also a strong market incentive for C&I customers to develop on-site solar projects as it can contribute to their competitiveness. Recent studies have shown that on-site solar is cheaper than electricity tariffs paid by C&I clients in seven markets in sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, on-site solar installations coupled with storage can also provide electricity more reliably than the grid in several markets. In addition to this, cost reductions and novel business models have made solar accessible for many citizens in sub-Saharan Africa where only 48% of the population had access to electricity in 2018. Since 2015, Pay-as-You-Go (PAYG) business models that allow first-time African consumers to buy solar systems on a rent-to-own basis have connected five million households in Africa to off-grid power.
On-site solar has the potential to contribute to increasing access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy (UN Sustainable Development Goal 7) for businesses and citizens across sub-Saharan Africa.
Agenda & Speakers
Welcome and introduction
- Miguel Herrero, Policy Advisor, SolarPower Europe
Input Presentation – On-site solar in Sub-saharan Africa
- Ali Yasir, Programme Officer – Decentralised Renewable Energy, International Renewable Energy Agency
GET.invest presentation – On-site solar in Sub-saharan Africa
- Javier Ortiz de Zuniga, Technical Advisor, GET.invest
Panel Discussion and Q&A
- Laetitia Dubois, Business Developer Africa, AKUO
- Rolake Rosiji, Pay-as-You-Go solar expert, Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria
- Rupesh Hindocha, Group CEO, Premier Solar
- Ali Yasir, Programme Officer – Decentralised Renewable Energy, International Renewable Energy Agency
- Caroline Nijland, GET.invest Finance Catalyst advisor
- Miguel Herrero, Moderator, Policy Advisor, SolarPower Europe
Closing remarks
- Miguel Herrero, Policy Advisor, SolarPower Europe
