£100m for renewable energy in Africa
The money triples funds for the Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP) for the projects over the next five years and could unlock an extra £156 million of private finance into renewable energy markets in Africa by 2023.The cash will support developers of small-scale solar, wind, hydro and geothermal projects, producing electricity for up to 2.4 million people a year.
“This £100 million will help communities harness the power of their natural resources to provide hundreds of thousands of people with electricity for the first time. Building these clean, reliable sources of energy will also create thousands of quality jobs in these growing green economies,” said Claire Perry, Energy and Clean Growth Minister.
The new investment is in addition to £48 million previously committed to the REPP that is supporting 18 renewable energy projects in a range of countries from Tanzania to Burundi. These projects, featuring solar, wind, biomass, hydro and geothermal technologies, are expected to provide new or improved access for more than 4.5 million people, creating 8,000 jobs during development and operation.
These include solar power for 70,000 people in Kilosa, Tanzania, including for 6,000 people who will have access to energy for the first time, as well as solar power to provide electricity for 87,600 people and business in Burundi, creating 300 part-time jobs and 50-full times posts. A project on mini grids in Nigeria will provide 72 rural villages with pay-as-you-go clean, reliable energy, creating 2,500 jobs during construction and 430 when it is up and running.
