Africa: UK-Backed Clean Energy Projects to Scale Across Africa

What the report says

Ten clean energy projects in eight African countries are set to receive more than £2 million in backing to expand renewable power systems for healthcare, telecoms, agriculture, fishing, rural electrification and small businesses, according to Capital FM’s report distributed by AllAfrica. The funding comes through the UK Government’s Ayrton Fund and the Transforming Energy Access platform, with the stated goal of replacing diesel generators and other fossil-fuel equipment with cleaner and more dependable energy options.

The projects will be implemented in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Madagascar, Nigeria, Mozambique and Lesotho. Examples highlighted in the report include battery systems for Kenyan hospitals and schools, solar-and-battery upgrades for hospitals, battery-first telecom infrastructure in Uganda, and second-life electric vehicle batteries for telecom towers and healthcare sites in Rwanda. Other initiatives include financed solar systems for rural businesses in Tanzania and Uganda, as well as renewable-powered fishing hubs in Mozambique.

In Nigeria, the portfolio includes solar cold-storage units for market vendors and agricultural hubs designed to reduce spoilage and post-harvest losses. Madagascar will see expanded solar nano-grids for households and businesses, while Lesotho will pilot repairable battery systems for mini-grids. The report says several participating companies have previously tested their technologies through programmes such as ZE-Gen, Energy Catalyst and Powering Renewable Energy Opportunities.

Programme leaders quoted in the article said the next step is scaling solutions that have already shown promise in pilot projects. As reported by Capital FM, the effort is intended to attract further investment while improving access to cleaner, more affordable and more reliable power across essential services.