- The UK Minister for Africa, Harriett Baldwin, has announced new funding to give more people and companies across Africa access to affordable, clean energy.
- This new funding will see ยฃ30 million (US 34 million) added to the Transforming Energy Access programme, taking total UK investment to ยฃ100 million, and allowing it to continue until 2024.
The funding will help fund technologies such as mini-grids, and solar and bioenergy initiatives. This aid, in partnership with the African Development Bankโs Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa and the World Bankโs Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme, will increase the numbers of green mini-grids in African countries.
It will also ensure that mini-grids are embedded into the wider energy network. The announcement follows the UK’s Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry announcement of ยฃ100 million funding to support up to 40 renewable energy products in sub-Saharan Africa at COP24 in Poland in December.
Since 2011, UK climate finance has helped provide 17 million people with improved access to clean energy. Baldwin commented: โTransforming Energy Access is using the UKโs expertise in technology and finance to provide power for people across Africa and tackle one of the worldโs biggest challenges, climate change.
โThe UK governmentโs investment in clean energy and waste reduction for people and businesses will help millions of people across Africa. Itโs a win for the developing world and a win for the UK.โ
Author: GBA News Desk/ESI-Africa Contributor
This article was originally published on ESI Africa and is republished with permission with minor editorial changes.