MORONI, September 12 — The Comoros has switched on three solar plants across its main islands, a small archipelago in the Indian Ocean that has long depended on imported diesel for its electricity. The facilities, with a combined capacity of around 20 MW, were inaugurated under a programme financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) and implemented by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, better known as Masdar. The AED 84.4 million (about US$23 million) package is managed by Global South Utilities (GSU).
The capacity is spread unevenly across the country. Grande Comore, the largest island and home to the capital, accounts for 12.86 MW; Anjouan takes 4.05 MW; and Mohéli, the smallest of the three, 3.1 MW.
The project also includes a 16 MWh battery energy storage system with 8 MW of power capacity on Grande Comore and Anjouan, plus roughly 30 km of medium-voltage transmission lines.
What the islands get
Masdar says the plants are expected to generate about 33.75 GWh a year, enough to cover the electricity needs of around 17,500 households. For a country of scattered islands where grid extension is costly and fuel must be shipped in, the battery component matters as much as the panels: it allows solar output to be shifted into the evening peak rather than curtailed at midday. The Comoros inauguration is one piece of a wider week for Gulf-backed and Africa-focused renewable energy.
In Tunisia, the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy announced the results of the sixth round of its authorisation regime for solar PV projects, selecting 309 applications totalling 455 MW, according to a ministry statement reported by local media. The list comprises 187 projects of 1 MW each, 119 of 2 MW each, and three of 10 MW each, drawn from applications received through June 30, 2026.
All selected projects will sell their entire output to the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG). In South Africa, Yellow Door Energy, an independent power producer focused on Middle East and African markets, and Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking reached financial close on a 49 MW solar project. The Lion Thorn Solar Park sits in Leeudoringstad and has secured long-term power purchase agreements with PPC and POWERX.
It is expected to generate about 115 GWh in its first year, with construction due to begin in September 2026 and commissioning expected in 2028.
Money moving into distribution
US-based Odyssey Energy Solutions has raised $74 million in new financing to expand its platform across emerging markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The round comprises $27 million in equity and $47 million in debt. Equity investors include Broadscale Group, FMO and Al Mada Ventures, with continued participation from Union Square Ventures, Equal Ventures, Abstract Ventures, Twelve Below, FJ Labs, MCJ and Transition Ventures.
Debt financiers include British International Investment, BIO, the Facility for Energy Inclusion represented by Cygnum Capital, and the Energy Entrepreneurs Growth Fund represented by TripleJump. Odyssey says its platform connects more than 6,000 solar installers and EPC companies across over 50 countries and facilitates access to $3.6 billion in capital.
Namibia’s Dâures Green Fertiliser project has secured $3.6 million from SDG Namibia One, according to local media reports. The project plans to combine 60 MW of solar, 10 MW of wind and 65 MWh of energy storage to supply a 40 MW electrolyser, producing up to 20,000 tons of green ammonia and 80,000 tons of ammonium sulfate a year for the local fertiliser market. The funding goes to Enersense Energy Namibia, supported by the European Union through its Global Gateway initiative and Invest International.
Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency has launched the Renewable Asset Management Company (RAMCO) to manage publicly financed renewable assets, including mini-grids and solar infrastructure, with a focus on maintenance, performance, metering, billing and revenue collection. The agency says the aim is to preserve asset value, improve sustainability and draw private investment into the power sector.
RAMCO was established with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated and the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria. For the Comoros, the test now is operation rather than ribbon-cutting: whether the batteries and the new transmission lines hold up, and whether the islands can keep the diesel generators idle. Across the continent, the same question follows each of these announcements.
