Mott MacDonald acted as technical advisor to the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, on the Scaling Solar initiative currently being rolled out across Africa.
The scheme supports African governments to procure bankable and affordable solar power projects, which can be rapidly deployed to contribute to their countries’ energy needs. Zambia, Senegal and Madagascar are the first countries where the initiative is being implemented, with more countries expected to follow soon.
Mott MacDonald helped draft a standard package of project documents for the initiative, including the power purchase agreement, government support agreement and request for proposals. The Scaling Solar framework also includes a suite of technical assistance, pre-approved financing, insurance products and guarantees that allow emerging markets to unlock their solar potential.
Iñaki Perez, Mott MacDonald’s project manager, said: “The sun is Africa’s greatest energy resource. However a series of challenges in procuring projects is preventing the uptake of solar technologies, at a time when high proportions of the continent’s population do not have secure access to electricity.”
“We are delighted to have contributed to this initiative that provides more opportunities for solar power where it is most needed. It has quickly become a new market standard for the procurement of solar energy projects in Africa.”