www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I April 2025 5
Associations the preservation of produce , especially in sectors like refrigeration and cold chain logistics . However , she observed that these topics did not receive significant attention at the summit , where discussions primarily focused on national energy mixes and grid extensions . She says it was disappointing there was not more discussion on developing the cold chain in Africa , but that would be a subsequent discussion once power was more readily available .
The conversation on funding challenges for off-grid solar was also a key topic . Malm explains that many companies in the sector struggle to secure equity investment , relying instead on loans in foreign currencies . To address this , she emphasises the importance of subsidies and risk mitigation strategies to make financing more accessible . For instance , national governments , often in collaboration with multilateral organisations like the World Bank , are setting up subsidy schemes to support the delivery of off-grid solar solutions in hard-to-reach areas . These subsidies , however , often require companies to deliver services upfront before receiving reimbursement , placing significant financial risk on the private sector .
" The off-grid solar industry is poised to transform energy access across Africa , but we need to reduce the financial risks and create mechanisms that allow companies to thrive ," Malm states .
Twelve African countries – Chad , Cote d ’ Ivoire , DR Congo , Liberia , Madagascar , Malawi , Mauritania , Niger , Nigeria , Senegal , Tanzania and Zambia - presented their National Energy Compacts ( NEC ) at the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit . Each country identifies specific policy measures to address constraints across the energy sector in its NEC and sets its own targets based on its unique context . The NECs are fully led and developed by the governments . Countries are encouraged to hold public consultations with civil society and other relevant stakeholders to inform the development of the NECs .
The NECs set ambitious targets with timelines for implementation to :
• Expand energy infrastructure at competitive costs
• Leverage the benefits of regional power integration
• Embrace distributed renewable energy and clean cooking solutions as critical elements of the access agenda
• Foster greater private sector participation to unlock additional resources
• Strengthen utilities RACA
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I April 2025 5