Strive Masiyiwa says solar subsidiary DPA will be bigger than Econet & Liquid

Econet Group Chairman Strive Masiyiwa thinks that Distributed Power Africa (DPA) will surpass its sister companies Econet and Liquid Telecom. Masiyiwa made these remarks after DPA sold 50% of its Kenyan business to French energy firm EDF.

“To see such a large global company team up with a small African start-up to develop to 50:50 partners is quite unusual, It shows you what I have been saying for a long time, that the future of energy in Africa is renewable! EDF has more installed solar power than all the power generated by traditional means in the entire African continent.”

Strive Masiyiwa (via The Zimbabwean Mail)

EDF is a really big company. The renewable energy company currently holds around 30% of the solar market share in France. EDF has in its catalogue of projects, a 19.82 MW floating solar project in Haute-Aples, 115 MW thin-film photovoltaic solar installation in Meurthe-et-Moselle and many more.

DPA and EDF under this partnership will be working together in the Commercial and Industrial (C&I) solar business as well as the development of a hybrid energy solution for the African Market.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the first port of call for the partnership with both companies set to commission solutions in Ivory Coast, Nigeria and South Africa. There are, of course, plans to expand their partnership to other African countries.

DPA to be bigger than Econet and Liquid?

“It (DPA) will one day be bigger than Liquid, or even Econet itself. I know the pathway it will take, because it is a well beaten pathway. What new entrepreneurial opportunities will these emerging businesses of ours create for other innovators, entrepreneurs, fast followers and even slow followers across Africa? Countless!”

Strive Masiyiwa

It’s not hard to see where Masiyiwa is coming from with his prediction about Distributed Power Africa. With the world shifting to renewable energy to try and offset the effects of climate change. More and more countries and businesses have taken a keen interest in green energy.

In a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), there was heavy investment in renewable energy in Africa last year. Solar in particular saw a number of large projects being launched, Mozambique launched a 120 MW Solar and Wind project while an 80 MW Solar project was launched in Togo. Tunisia awarded a 100 MW project and launched another 70 MW project as a continuation of its 500 MW project.

Solar, and renewable energy as a whole, are the future, especially in Africa where solar mini-grids are probably the fastest way to connect remote communities. As the technology because easier to maintain and cheaper to manufacture, countries will soon be dedicating even more resources to its expansion.

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