Tag: Green Energy

Morocco, France boost green energy partnership with power link projects

Morocco and France’s Normandy Region have reaffirmed their shared commitment to energy transition and sustainable development in a major boost for green energy diplomacy.

The meeting, held on Wednesday in Rabat, brought together Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition Leila Benali and Normandy’s President Hervé Morin, French officials, and energy experts to explore joint action in renewables, green hydrogen, and nuclear energy education.

Morocco-Normandy talks focus on green hydrogen and smart grids

During the high-level meeting in Rabat, Moroccan and Normandy officials outlined a roadmap for deeper cooperation in renewable energy, green hydrogen, and clean technology education. Discussions centred on enhancing smart energy grid systems to manage electricity distribution and consumption better while advancing energy efficiency strategies critical for a low-carbon future.

Another key area was scientific research and capacity-building in civilian nuclear energy and engineering, with both sides exploring academic partnerships between Moroccan and French universities. Minister Leila Benali reiterated Morocco’s long-term strategy for sustainable development under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, as Hervé Morin emphasized Normandy’s readiness to collaborate as a leading region in clean tech and nuclear expertise.

Power link project cements Morocco-France strategic energy partnership

Beyond regional cooperation, Morocco and France are moving forward with a strategic power link project to connect their energy networks across continents. During a separate virtual meeting, Minister Benali reviewed progress with French energy leaders, highlighting the importance of data exchange systems and institutional collaboration to keep the project on track.

This cross-border electricity project, backed by RTE (Réseau de Transport d’Électricité) in France and ONEE (Office National de l’Électricité et de l’Eau Potable) and MASEN (Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy) in Morocco, is designed to enhance energy security, promote system integration, and accelerate the transition to low-carbon electricity.

Officials confirmed that this initiative is part of the broader energy cooperation agreement signed on October 28, 2024, in the presence of King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron. The deal involved €10 billion in joint projects covering energy, infrastructure, and innovation, including high-speed rail agreements to expand Morocco’s transport network.

Shared vision for green hydrogen and clean tech leadership

As both countries pursue deeper ties, the cooperation extends to green hydrogen development, energy storage, and clean tech innovation. The partnership includes deals with TotalEnergies, Safran and a decarbonisation memorandum between Morocco’s OCP and France’s AFD. These steps align with Morocco and France’s ambition to become regional powerhouses in energy transition.

With academic and scientific collaboration also on the table, Morocco and France are laying the groundwork for long-term cooperation that spans research, education, and technology. Together, they aim to model how countries can partner for a cleaner, more connected, and resilient energy future.

April 6, 2025
Tunisia turns olive oil waste to eco-friendly fuel briquettes

In northern Tunisia, Engr Yassine Khelifi is transforming olive oil waste into an eco-friendly energy source.

Khelifi’s company, Bioheat, founded in 2022, converts olive residue from oil extraction into fuel briquettes—a move aimed at reducing Tunisia’s dependence on imported fuel and curbing deforestation.

With Tunisia set to become the world’s third-largest olive oil producer by 2024-2025, the potential for sustainable energy from olive waste is immense.

From olive oil waste to green energy

Instead of letting olive waste go unused, Khelifi’s innovative machine compresses it into high-energy briquettes with only eight percent moisture content. These burn cleaner than traditional firewood, significantly cutting carbon emissions. Local restaurants and guesthouses have embraced this eco-friendly alternative, with 60 percent of Bioheat’s production exported to France and Canada.

Read also: Payhippo evolves into Rivy, secures $4 million for clean energy in Nigeria

Tunisia’s renewable energy goals

Tunisia is on a mission to significantly increase its renewable energy production, setting ambitious targets of generating 35 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 50 percent by 2050. To achieve these goals, the country is focusing on expanding solar power, with large-scale solar plants being developed in Sidi Bouzid and Tozeur.

Additionally, wind energy is playing an essential role in Tunisia’s renewable energy mix, with existing wind farms contributing to electricity generation. Another key initiative is the development of green hydrogen, with Tunisia aiming to produce 8.3 million tonnes annually by 2050, a significant portion of which is intended for export. These strategies are positioning Tunisia as a leader in clean energy and sustainability.

Challenges and Tunisia’s role as a green energy hub

Despite its progress, Tunisia faces several challenges in its transition to clean energy. The country still heavily relies on fossil fuels, with over 60 percent of its energy needs met through imports, making energy security a pressing concern.

Additionally, integrating renewable energy sources into the existing power grid presents significant infrastructure challenges. Investment remains another key obstacle, as Tunisia seeks both public and private partnerships to accelerate its renewable energy projects.

However, innovative solutions like turning olive waste into clean energy offer a promising way forward. With Tunisia set to become one of the largest olive oil producers, the country generates massive amounts of olive residue, which can be repurposed into biomass fuel.

This approach not only helps reduce reliance on imported energy but also supports environmental sustainability by cutting down deforestation and carbon emissions. By embracing such renewable alternatives, Tunisia can take a major step toward energy independence and a greener future.

Tunisia’s strategic location between Europe and Africa positions it as a potential leader in green energy exports, particularly in hydrogen and bioenergy.

By harnessing its natural resources—from sun and wind to olive waste—Tunisia is taking bold steps toward a sustainable energy future. With continued innovation and investment, the country is on track to become a regional powerhouse in renewable energy while reducing its environmental footprint.

April 1, 2025
Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy announces final round participants

The Milken Institute and the Motsepe Foundation have announced the five teams who will be competing for the Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy in the final round, which will take place in the following year.

An impartial group of industry experts deliberated over the facts from the real world and chose the five most promising teams after conducting a thorough analysis of the information. AfTrak Micro Electric Agriculture and Energy, GEG ehf, New Digit Technologies, OMNIVAT, and Smart Agri-Centres are the teams that have participated.

Each of the teams that made it to the final round will receive $70,000 in order to further develop and test their solutions. These solutions will be put through their paces in a genuine field test demonstration that will take place in South Africa.

The participating teams’ capacities to achieve the challenge of generating 60 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity in twenty-four hours will be evaluated by the judges. This will be accomplished by demonstrating off-grid electricity generation utilizing renewable energy sources, and by supplying inexpensive and reliable electricity to energy-poor communities based on the demonstration.

To present, the competition has awarded a total of $750,000 in prizes to businesspeople who are conducting research and development on innovative ideas with the goal of broadening Africans’ access to power that is dependable, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly.

In May of 2024, the judges will decide who will win the grand prize of one million dollars. In addition to this, there will be a second-place prize of $250,000. The Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy will pay over two million dollars in total prizes and bonuses to the winner of the competition.

Read also: GIIG, UNICEF Ethiopia to hold Global Startup Awards Africa 2023 Summit

Remarks

“Access to electricity can advance industrialisation across Africa and improve the standards of living for many marginalised communities,” remarked Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, co-founder and CEO of the Motsepe Foundation. “These finalists are building innovative solutions to deliver on the promise of a sustainable future, in line with the (UN’s) Sustainable Development Goals. We will be delighted to welcome them to South Africa for the live demonstrations next year.”

“These finalists have once again proven the value of the innovation competition model in driving breakthroughs,” commented Emily Musil Church, senior director at the Milken Institute. “The semi-finalist round pushed these teams to stretch their limits and build solutions that are scalable and life-changing for millions.”

About the Milken Institute and the Motsepe Foundation

The Milken Institute is an independent, non-profit organization that works to hasten the arrival at concrete, attainable goals. Financial, physical, mental, and environmental well-being are prioritized as we pool cutting-edge thinking and resources to create action plans for addressing some of the world’s most pressing problems. Check out https://milkeninstitute.org/ for additional details.

Dr. Patrice Motsepe and Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe established the Motsepe Foundation in 1999. The mission of the Motsepe Foundation is to alleviate poverty, create jobs, and empower the underprivileged and marginalized in South Africa, Africa, and around the world. Both Dr. Patrice Motsepe and Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe signed the Giving Pledge, an initiative launched by Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Melinda Gates, in January 2013. Dr. Patrice and Mrs. Motsepe have pledged to donate half of their fortune to charity during and after their lifetimes.

November 6, 2023
Nigeria Proposes Debt-For-Climate Swap Deal To Enable Africa’s Energy Transition

Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has proposed a Debt-For-Climate (DFC) Swap deal to enable African countries to help advance the course of global net-zero emissions targets and facilitate energy transition access.
The senior special assistant to the president on media said the fund must then be used for agreed climate projects in the debtor country.
Osinbajo went on to say that for many developing countries, the main issue was a combination of two ongoing crises: the climate crisis and poverty. This fact makes it clear that our plans and promises to become carbon neutral must include two crises that are still going on.

Read Also: South Africa Green Energy Transition Startups Has $100 billion Funding Opportunities.
“This includes access to energy for both consumption and production, including electricity, heating, cooking, and other end-use sectors.”
“Nearly 90 million people in Asia and Africa who had previously gained access to electricity can no longer afford to pay for their basic energy needs; the inflationary pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other macroeconomic trends have been further exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine.’’
He said that making it hard to finance gas projects for local use is likely to be a big problem for economic growth, giving people access to electricity and clean ways to cook and making renewable energy a bigger part of the energy mix.
The vice president said that the ETP was made to deal with the twin crises of energy poverty and climate change, to reach SDG-7 by 2030 and net-zero by 2060, and to focus on providing energy for development, industrialization, and economic growth.

Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Center for Global Development in Washington D.C.
Osinbajo noted that many countries in the global North are responding to the current energy crisis with two different set of rules.

Read Also: Nigeria Will Begin Manufacturing Electric Cars In 2023
“There are only 81 gigawatts of installed capacity to serve the one billion people in Sub-Saharan Africa who don’t live in South Africa.” Based on information already out there, Sub-Saharan Africa has contributed less than one per cent of the cumulative CO2 emissions.
Salisu Dahiru, the director general of the National Council on Climate Change; Uzoma Emenike, Nigeria’s ambassador to the US; and Damilola Ogunbiyi, the UN secretary general’s special representative for sustainable energy for all (SEforALL), were among others in attendance.

September 6, 2022
South Africa Green Energy Startups Has $100 billion Funding Opportunities

Green energy start-ups and entrepreneurs from South Africa will get the chance to pitch to a room full of international and local investors with the potential to fund investment opportunities at the Green Energy Africa Summit, which will take place on October 5, 2022, at Cape Town, South Africa.

As an initiative of the Hyve Group, an international organizer of exhibitions and conferences, the company in charge of the Mining Indaba and Africa Oil Week, a group of regional clean-tech enterprises will come together for the pitching event to propose their businesses to an audience of fundamental investors, who collectively behold investments worth more than $100 billion.

Hyve Group joins hands with the Saldanha Bay Innovation Campus (SBIC) and consultancy company RIIS to identify potential regional start-ups and entrepreneurs who would be a good fit. After a thorough initial application process, a shortlist of candidates will proceed to the pitching event in October, where they will have the opportunity to earn backing for their project.

CEO of the Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone, Kaashifah Beukes, avers that the pitching event proffers a tremendous opportunity that is not readily available to regional start-ups.

“Even for the most seasoned organizations, finding acceptable investment partners may be challenging. The inability to get to appropriate finance sources for start-ups and entrepreneurs is a deterrent that undermines South Africa’s development objectives”. Beukes says.

Read: Vodacom SA Commits to Using Only Renewable Energy Sources by 2025

The shortlisted candidates will not only have access to investors through the pitch opportunity but also get free business training in advance of the event. Davis Cook, the CEO of RIIS, notes that start-ups and entrepreneurs prevalently focus more of a priority on product development and prototyping than on business imperatives.

“From an investor’s standpoint, launching a business demands particular considerations, and while fledgling companies may show technological readiness, they are rarely business-ready. We believe that providing the applicants who made the shortlist support before the pitching session would help them make the most of this tremendous opportunity,” Cook added.

According to The Hyve Group, they are keen to see the Energy Investment Village outcome, which serves as the pitching competition’s official name.

Read: Vivatech Opens in Paris, Emphasizing African Startups

Paul Sinclair, vice president of energy and director of government relations for Africa Oil Week and the summit, asserts that the pitch session might eventually be a feature of the Green Energy Africa Summit,

“With the increase in demand in South Africa to put practical and creative green energy solutions forward, Green Energy Africa Summit is keen and ready to play a part in allowing the formation of such initiatives, which can potentially influence the future of Africa.” Sinclair added.

About Green Energy Africa Summit

Green Energy Africa Summit is a global platform for stimulating deals and transactions across the African Energy Industry. The event brings together governments, national regulators and utility companies, independent power players, investors, financial institutions and service providers. The summit will drive deals and investment into energy projects, provide energy access and solutions for the continent and shape the future of Africa.

The 2022 summit event, held in October, will provide the ideal platform and engine room for growth across Africa’s renewable and low-carbon sector. This is the place to be if your company is involved in Africa’s energy transition.

August 11, 2022