Renewable Energy Demands Rising in Southern Africa

The SADC region becoming a key player in the international trend toward the

development of renewable energy resources and energy efficiency.

 In total, 17% (9.6 GW) of Southern Africa’s electricity generation capacity in 2020

was based on renewables, primarily solar power (IRENA)

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Accelerating renewable energy delivery in Commercial & Industrial

business in Southern Africa: What’s stopping us?

A global transition to a clean energy future is underway. Many countries

across the world have already achieved high levels of renewable energy

integration facilitated through technological investment and the creation

of enabling policy and regulatory environments. 

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Yet, Africa accounts for less than 3% of the world’s installed renewables-based

electricity generation capacity (IRENA, 2021a). This low rate of use comes

despite Africa’s vast renewable energy resource potential.

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Energy is vital to development in Southern Africa. Beyond its use in daily life,

fuel and electricity catalyze infrastructure projects that drive both Regional

Integration and economic growth. As the SADC region industrializes on its

path to improved human development, energy production, and distribution

will only increase in importance.

The supply of affordable electricity still remains a challenge, while the region is experiencing massive financial gaps in investments needed for building new generation, transmission and distribution capacities and capabilities. This lack of generation, transmission, and distribution challenge has partially been overcome with the rapid growth of private mini-grids supporting anchor clients and surrounding businesses and consumers.

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Bluestone (BSG) is focused on finding new innovative renewable energy technologies that can integrate and support the current solutions and enhance delivery using best-practice Business Development & Consulting, Project Management, Service Delivery & Operational leadership in the Renewable Energy market.

• In the Solar PV IPP market, BSG is contracted with Lumika Renewables to deliver large 5MW-10MW Solar PV IPP projects within the Ekurhuleni Sola PV IPP Awardee program.

• In the Solar PV Commercial & Industrial market, Colin is contracted to Terra Firma Solutions as BDM to deliver 400Kwp plus projects.

• In the Renewable  Energy IPP market, Waste2Energy Global SA company and partner companies were awarded a 33MW Waste-to-Energy IPP Award/Project in 2017 as part of the Ekurhuleni Renewable Energy IPP Awardee program. The WtE PPA was signed in Dec 2021.

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Bluestone Service Group (BSG) has developed with their partners in Africa, a "Renewable Energy and mini-grid" development "ABC" Strategy that focuses on;

• First, focus on an economically active and sustainable (A)nchor client, which could be an agro-processing facility like tea farms, shopping malls, mines, factories, or any other type of economically viable industry.

• Secondly, look for surrounding (within reach of the mini-grid) (B)usiness clients that also have a revenue source that can provide sustainable demand,

• Thirdly, and LASTLY, focus on the worker's homes, the domestic football or soccer watching (C)onsumers also within reach of the mini-grid.

Don’t underestimate your Consumers, they will spread the word about your innovation and delivery

It's going to take innovative funding solutions and leadership to overcome these challenges, combined with a new generation of funding and energy partners willing to focus on these innovative funding solutions to reduce the risk and provide the much-needed energy solutions for Africa. Yes, focus on the people and ignore the surrounding negativity and hype.

Colin also has extensive experience in delivering large projects, developing financial models, and providing innovative funding solutions to project owners working with funding partners Lumika Renewables, First Fund, IFC, DBSA, IRENA, Norfund, and CFM all focused on Climate Change Funding.

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Bluestone Service Group has partnered with BlueSky Ventures Limited (Mauritius) an innovative renewable Energy solutions company based out of Mauritius, Terra Firma Solution a Tier 1 South African-based, but SADEC focused Solar PV industry specialist, and various innovative debt & equity funders including a high-level European Equity Funder to provide full financed renewable energy solutions including, but not restricted to, traditional Solar PV and battery storage at highly competitive PPA rates.

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