Measures for diffusion of solar PV in selected African countries

Abstract

This paper investigates how African governments are considering supporting and promoting the diffusion of solar PV. This issue is explored by examining so-called 'technology action plans', which were main outputs of the Technology Needs Assessment project implemented in ten African countries from 2010 to 2013. The paper provides a review of three distinct but characteristic trajectories for PV market development in Kenya (private-led market for solar home systems), Morocco (utility-led fee-for service model) and Rwanda (donor-led market for institutional systems). The paper finds that governments' strategies to promoting solar PV are moving from isolated projects towards frameworks for market development and that there are high expectations to upgrading in the PV value chain through local assembly of panels and local production of other system elements. Commonly identified measures include support to: local production; financing schemes; tax exemptions; establishment and reinforcement of standards; technical training; and research and development.

The mismatch between the in-country determinants of technology transfer, and the scope of technology transfer initiatives under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

“…Here, it is important to acknowledge how the basic political economy of low-carbon technology 'transfer' has shifted in recent years, to operate increasingly on market lines. On the supply side, especially for the large-scale infrastructure cluster, it is private investors who are driving the transition in low-income countries (Nygaard et al, 2017). As such, donors now play a predominantly supporting role in many lowincome countries, to kick-start and de-risk projects that otherwise operate on commercial grounds (Rodríguez-Manotas et al, 2018).…”

Solar Home Systems: A comprehensive literature review for Sub-Saharan Africa

“…The potential of local production is highlighted in several papers (Brown et al, 2017;Kebir & Philipp, 2016;Moner-Girona, Ghanadan, Jacobson, & Kammen, 2006;Nygaard, Hansen, Mackenzie, & Pedersen, 2017). Nygaard et al (2017) demonstrate its opportunity for fostering national innovation in the solar field.…”

“…The potential of local production is highlighted in several papers (Brown et al, 2017;Kebir & Philipp, 2016;Moner-Girona, Ghanadan, Jacobson, & Kammen, 2006;Nygaard, Hansen, Mackenzie, & Pedersen, 2017). Nygaard et al (2017) demonstrate its opportunity for fostering national innovation in the solar field. Smaller local companies struggle procuring the necessary technologies through international competitive tender, which requires policy attention, if governments want to foster local production (Ellegård et al, 2004).…”

“…Affordability is a theme throughout the energy access literature and multiple studies highlight the importance of financial support to improve it (Azimoh et al, 2015a;Glemarec, 2012;Hansen et al, 2015;Kebede et al, 2014a;Lemaire, 2009;Nygaard et al, 2017;Ondraczek, 2013). Most electrification projects required public resources and Glemarec (2012) supports providing financing where needed to widen the reach of modern energy sources, such as SHSs.…”

“…Financing schemes tend to be popular with governments, where Nygaard et al (2017) observed that all the SSA countries they examined were in favour of them. For instance, finance loans and credit schemes have been successfully used by governments to improve affordability for both SHS purchasers and suppliers and should thus be expanded further (Hansen et al, 2015;Ondraczek, 2013).…”