Energy infrastructure boost for South Africa?

21 March 2011

South Africa's energy infrastructure looks set to increase as the African Development Bank (AfDB) is to provide funding for wind and solar projects.

Power utility company Eskom looks is to get $270 million (£166 million) from the institution, the AfDB's climate change and energy director Hela Cheikhrouhou told Reuters.

A further $100 million will be sought from the World Bank's Clean Technology Fund, she added.

One of the schemes set to benefit from the cash is the Sere wind farm, which will generate up to 200 MW once completed.

"We do expect to approve at least a couple of hundred million dollars in the sub-region on the energy sector in the 2011-13 period," Ms Cheikhrouhou informed the news provider.

The AfDB could also get behind the energy feed-in-tariff programme by providing credit lines for local banks.

Abubakar Sambo, the World Energy Council's vice-president for Africa, recently told the Press Association that the solar resources in the continent are second to none in the globe.
 

Category: Energy