The commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftop market segment has shown strong growth in recent years, with developers seeking to circumvent administrative barriers and grid issues associated with of large-scale solar projects. There is also a strong market incentive for C&I customers to develop on-site solar projects as it can contribute to their competitiveness. Recent studies have shown that on-site solar is cheaper than electricity tariffs paid by C&I clients in seven markets in sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, on-site solar installations coupled with storage can also provide electricity more reliably than the grid in several markets.
See also: EU solar market with double-digit growth in 2020
In addition to this, cost reductions and novel business models have made solar accessible for many citizens in sub-Saharan Africa where only 48% of the population had access to electricity in 2018. Since 2015, Pay-as-You-Go (PAYG) business models that allow first-time African consumers to buy solar systems on a rent-to-own basis have connected to 5 million households in Africa to off-grid power.
In this webinar, SolarPower Europe in collaboration with GET.invest – a European programme supported by the European Union, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Austria – will gather European and African experts of on-site solar to explore the existing opportunities for on-site solar in sub-Saharan Africa. The webinar will include a presentation introducing the main trends, challenges, and opportunities for on-site solar in sub-Saharan Africa. The presentation will be followed by an open discussion that will focus on the technical and business innovations that are bringing sustainable electricity to sub-Saharan Africa. (mfo)
