Google-Backed Esolar Brings Solar Thermal Energy to Sub-Saharan Africa

eSolar, a Google and Idealab backed startup providing modular, scalable solar thermal power technology, has partnered with Clean Energy Solutions (CES) of South Africa to open eSolarSA.  Through the agreement, CES is granted the exclusive right to represent and distribute eSolar’s concentrating solar power technology throughout a seven-country region, including the Republic of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. 

Africa boasts one of the highest concentrations of solar resources in the world.  The region has made aggressive moves to boost renewable energy capacity, with the South African government notably setting the goal to provide 10,000 gigawatt hours of electricity from renewable resources by 2013. 

CES is a South African developer of utility scale renewable energy projects.  According to Stuart Fredman, CES managing director, “Sub-Saharan Africa’s tremendous solar resource has gone relatively untapped, but now, with eSolar’s technology, we can establish Southern Africa as a new hotspot for solar development…eSolar’s CSP technology is the perfect fit for South Africa in its quest to generate affordable, clean energy and develop local jobs, particularly in rural areas.”

Short URL: http://www.solarthermalmagazine.com/?p=276

Posted by Tracey A. Smith on Oct 10 2009. Filed under Africa, Projects and Installations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry