In recognition of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, USAID and Power Africa are highlighting internship programs for women in the energy sector. This first feature of our three-part series focuses on an apprenticeship program in Rwanda.

USAID recognizes that expanding women’s participation in the energy sector — and particularly in decision-making roles – can advance inclusive economic growth and improve financial performance and sustainability across the sector. Research shows that gender diversity in the workplace is correlated with both profitability and value creation, yet the energy industry remains one of the least gender-diverse sectors globally.

Internships and…

By Carla Visser, Power Africa Off-grid Project

For off-grid solar energy start-ups competing for financing in a crowded investment space, a sound financial model can strengthen a company’s investment pitch. Power Africa’s new financial modeling tool is designed specifically to help build pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) energy access business models.

Demonstration of Power Africa’s Financial Modeling Tool for PAYGO Energy Access Companies

Off-grid solar energy products are in increasing demand — especially in emerging markets in sub-Saharan Africa. According to GOGLA, the global association for the off-grid solar energy industry, nearly 200 million solar energy units are expected to be sold globally between 2019 and 2022. …

Uganda has one of the lowest electrification rates in the world, so bringing electricity to more than 40 million Ugandans is a critical national and regional objective. Despite significant efforts over the last 20 years, the rate has remained low — around 24%. Although power is available in Uganda, many communities, homes, and businesses do not have access to electricity due to expensive grid connection fees, including high house wiring costs.

To fast-track and scale electrification access, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), working with several donor organizations including USAID and Power Africa, developed the national Electricity Connections Policy (ECP). …

Power Africa helped KenGen create an official COVID-19 return-to-work strategy for the utility’s more than 2,500 employees.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had a marked effect on the financial performance of East African power utilities. Supply chains are not yet back to normal, commercial and industrial consumers are using less electricity while residential customers are using more, and revenue patterns are unpredictable.

Utilities like Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) and Kenya Power continue to cope with decreased demand for electricity and corresponding decreases in revenue as customers shelter at home and businesses restrict their activities.

Moreover, for utility staff, uncertainty…

Power Africa shines a light on gender-based violence

WATCH: GBV and Electricity: What’s Light Got To Do With It?

A pandemic affecting upwards of one in three women globally, gender-based violence (GBV) touches every facet of society, including the energy sector. During this year’s Digital Energy Festival, Power Africa co-hosted a panel with the International Finance Corporation’s Energy to Equal program highlighting the potential for the energy sector to mitigate and respond to the gender-based violence crisis globally and specifically in sub-Saharan Africa.

The panel opened with Adaku Ufere, Deputy Chief of Party for Power Africa’s West Africa Energy Program, offering an exploration of the relationship between GBV and the…

In Nigeria, access to reliable electricity is helping gender-based violence response centers and health care centers better serve their communities

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, experts working in the field of gender-based violence (GBV) mitigation and response noted a significant rise in domestic violence and an increased vulnerability to other forms of GBV including human trafficking, sexual exploitation, financial disempowerment, and early marriage. These vulnerabilities stem from the stresses related to the pandemic, as well as global lockdowns which have resulted in restricted movement and limited access to resources. …

On November 23, 2020, Power Africa, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), awarded grants totaling $1.2 million to mini-grid developers lighting up more than 5,200 households and businesses in rural Madagascar.

WATCH Launch Event

Off-grid Electricity Vital to Electrify Madagascar

Although rich with renewable energy resources like solar and wind, only 5 percent of rural Madagascar has access to electricity, resulting in dependency on candles, batteries, and firewood to meet daily energy needs.

Off-grid electrification solutions, such as mini-grids, can play a vital role in electrifying Madagascar’s rural areas. …

Clustered in the Rivers State of Nigeria are the Afam power plants, a group of gas-fired thermal power generating facilities with a combined installed capacity of 987.2 megawatts (MW), enough to power more than 600,000 homes.

In 2013, the Federal Government of Nigeria agreed to sell the Afam power plants through a share acquisition, but following a three-year delay in the sale process, the purchasing company withdrew from the agreement.

Subsequently, in 2017, when the National Council on Privatization approved a 100 percent share acquisition sale of the Afam Electricity Generation Company, the Nigeria Bureau of Public Enterprises engaged Power…