AFSIA recognises innovation in solar energy at 2021 solar awards – EQ Mag Pro
Winners in 15 awards categories of the second edition of the AFSIA Solar Awards 2021 were unveiled last week.
Among the 15 categories in the competition this year, the most disputed titles included “C&I Project of the year”, “Solar innovation/technology of the year” and “DFI & Alternative Financing” which is reflective of the increased activity of those segments of the African solar industry. This highlights the very positive trend of the growth of the industry across the continent.
Winners of the AFSIA solar awards
- Utility Scale Project of the year: Awarded to InfraCo Africa for the 60MWac Salima Solar project in Malawi
- Commercial & Industrial Solar Project of the year: Awarded to EM-ONE Energy Solutions for its 1.52MWp / 2.28MWh system at the Federal ministry Mabushi office complex in Abuja, Nigeria
- Mini Grid Project of the year: Awarded to ENGIE Equatorial for the 600kWp Lolwe Island mini-grid project in Uganda
- Solar Home System Company of the year: Awarded to Ignite Power for connecting households in Rwanda for under $1 a month
- Residential Project of the year: Awarded to Jubaili Bros for the 20kW/60kWh solar PV plus storage facility installation in Accra, Ghana
- African Solar company of the year: Awarded to SolarAfrica for being the first to successfully market solar PPAs to residential and commercial power users in South Africa back in 2011 and having financed 55MW of projects to date
- African Solar SME/Entrepreneur of the year: Awarded to Kudirat Saliu from the Solar Sister Entrepreneurs Program in Nigeria focusing on distributing solar home systems solutions in off-grid areas
- Financial Advisor of the year: Awarded to Synergy Consulting Infrastructure and Financial Advisory Services for several projects including the Dondo Solar PV project, the 1st competitively tendered solar IPP in Mozambique and the 100MW solar IPP in Botswana
- Legal Advisor of the year: Awarded to Wairimu & Co. for advisory on the $4 million investment in a Kenyan mini-grid development
- DFI/Alternative Financing of the year: Awarded to SunFunder for the $70 million Solar Energy Transformation (SET) Fund
- Woman in Solar of the year: Awarded to Jenny Fletcher, CEO and Co-Founder of Ariya Finergy leading an exciting period of growth and having secured $1 million of assets under management and a further $3 million identified in 2022
- Solar Innovation for the year: Awarded to Genius Watter for the Genius RO – solar-powered reverse osmosis desalination technology
- Solar Picture of the year: Awarded to ARESS for a beautiful picture highlighting solar EPC work taken by the installation team
- Solar video of the year: Awarded to Enara for a film shot in the New Valley governorate to showcase the potential and benefits of solar energy in reclaiming desert land in Egypt.
- Life-time achievement award: Presented to Franco Traverso, Co-founder and Chairman of Genius Watter and a pioneer of the photovoltaic sector since 1981.
More than 190 entries were submitted across the different categories from all over the continent over the past few months. The jury, composed of some of the leading experts in solar energy in Africa, carefully reviewed and evaluated each entry to identify the most deserving companies and individuals to be awarded the grand prize during the awards ceremony.
The AFSIA awards secured a jury composed of Demi Edosomwan from TotalEnergies Ventures, Catherine Mukobo from ACERD, Tony Tiyou from Renewables in Africa, Wale Shonibare from AfDB, Ujunwa Ojemeni from the Ministry of Energy & Natural Resources – Lagos State Government, Salma Okonkwo from UBI Group, Wikus Kruger from the Power Futures Lab at the University of Cape Town and Dr Harald Schützeichel from the Solar Energy Foundation.
Source: esi-africa
