Africa's largest wind farm. (Image credit: AMEA Power)

AMEA Power has announced the commissioning of Africa's largest wind farm, located in Egypt

The 500MW wind power plant, in Ras Ghareb in the Red Sea Governorate, becomes the biggest operational wind farm in the whole of Africa, and solidifies Egypt’s position as a leading light in the continent’s renewable energy transition.

The milestone follows the recent commissioning in November 2024 of AMEA Power’s 500MW solar PV plant in Aswan, bringing the company’s total commissioned capacity in Egypt to 1 gigawatt (GW) within just six months.

The company said in a statement that the rapid deployment marks a significant achievement in scaling up clean and reliable energy on the continent.

“The commissioning of the 500MW wind power plant in the Red Sea Governorate, marks a significant milestone for AMEA Power, and for Egypt," said Hussain Al Nowais, chairman of AMEA Power.

"Bringing 1GW of clean energy online in such a short period is a tremendous achievement and a reflection of our deep commitment to delivering impactful renewable energy solutions.”

The newest project, the Amunet wind power plant, is a joint venture between AMEA Power (60%) and Sumitomo Corporation (40%).

It is expected to generate approximately 2,500 GWh of clean electricity annually, enough to power more than 500,000 homes, while offsetting 1.4 million tons of CO₂ emissions each year.

The project was completed 2.5 months ahead of schedule, underlining AMEA Power’s ability to execute complex renewable energy projects with speed and precision.

The construction phase also delivered substantial local economic benefits, employing over 800 workers at peak.

Financing was provided by a consortium of international institutions, including the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), International Finance Corporation (IFC), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank.

The commercial tranche of the financing was backed by insurance from Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI), with additional working capital support from the Commercial International Bank of Egypt.

“This is the future of power generation in Africa – clean, inclusive, and tranformational,” added Al Nowais.

AMEA Power’s extensive portfolio in Egypt also includes 1,000MW of solar PV with a 600MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Aswan Governorate, an additional 500MW wind project in Red Sea Governorate, and an extension of the 500MW solar PV plant with a 300MWh BESS in Aswan Governorate.

It also has two other BESS projects in its Egyptian portfolio, including a 500MWh BESS project in Zarfana and a 1,000MWh BESS project in Benban.

The company is similarly active across the continent, with multiple projects spanning all corners of Africa. 

Read more:

Cox and AMEA Power partner to advance water, energy infrastructure

Congo targets 1,500MW power capacity by 2030

AMEA Power ignites solar growth in Ivory Coast

Improving telecom site power performance in Africa

China’s Huawei has outlined how its latest energy technology has helped telecom operators in Africa maintain more stable power systems in the face of evolving challenges

The company recently showcased in Dubai its next-generation digital site power facility solution, Single SitePower, which, it claims, is set to drive the intelligent transformation of ICT energy infrastructure across Africa.

According to James Chen, president of Huawei's Carrier Business, the levelised costs of electricity (LCOE) of solar systems and batteries keep declining, and their payback periods have become shorter, presenting “tremendous opportunities” for operators and tower companies to achieve a green energy transition.

In a statement, the company noted that global operators and tower companies are facing a wide range of energy challenges, including rising demand.

The communications industry consumes 2.5% of the world's electricity, it noted, with base stations accounting for over 60%. Along with the rapid development of new technologies such as AI, network traffic and energy consumption are surging.

Additionally, power shortages, ageing infrastructure and natural disasters put immense strain on network resilience and evolution.

“To help overcome these challenges, the Single SitePower solution leverages technological innovations to build four intelligent synergy systems,” the statement read, “helping operators build simple, green, resilient, and safe sites.”

Power-Grid Synergy: Huawei's iGrid grid adaptation technology helps base stations run stably even in the case of frequent power outages and weak grids. “In Africa, the technology has helped operators improve the site power availability (PAV) from 60% to 99.9% in areas with frequent power outages,” the statement added.

Solar-Battery Synergy: Based on Huawei's iSolar green site solution, solar systems and lithium batteries can be deployed at sites to ensure diverse energy supplies, reducing the risk of site breakdown due to external energy environment changes. “Moreover, the Solar-Battery Synergy technology enables the 100% integration of surplus solar energy,” it noted, “increasing the energy yield by 55% compared with the traditional solution.”

Power-RAN Synergy: Huawei's adaptive power backup technology doubles the power backup time for communication services without changing the battery configuration. In Europe, it reported that the solution has helped operators cope with large-scale power outages, with the power backup time drastically extended from 2.5 hours to more than seven hours.

Power-Service Synergy: Huawei's O&M management system integrates AI diagnosis to implement proactive analysis, risk prediction, precise fault locating, rapid root cause analysis, and precise energy scheduling. This improves network O&M efficiency and fault recovery speed, enhances network resilience, and reduces OPEX by 50%.

Read more: 

Lagos, Huawei advance smart transport systems

South Sudan launches solar energy

Electric power industry needs urgent transformation: Huawei

AXIAN Energy breaks ground on 60MW solar project to boost clean energy and development in southern Senegal. (Image source: AXIAN Energy)

AXIAN Energy has launched construction of the NEA Kolda solar power plant, with a groundbreaking event in Tankanto Escale, Kolda — located roughly 700 km from Senegal’s capital, Dakar

Regional leaders and community members, who stand to benefit most from the project, were present at the ceremony.

Powering clean energy and community growth

The NEA Kolda project is a major milestone in Senegal’s effort to transition to renewable energy, aiming to achieve 40% renewables in its power mix by 2030. With a planned capacity of 60 MW and a battery energy storage system (BESS) capable of storing 72 MWh, the facility is expected to set new standards for regional energy innovation.

More than 235,000 people are set to benefit from improved electricity access, while the national grid will gain additional strength to meet peak demands. This project underscores the Senegalese government’s broader vision to promote affordable, clean, and widespread energy solutions.

NEA Kolda is the product of strong collaboration between major energy players and international financial institutions. In October 2024, the Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund (EAAIF), the Dutch development bank FMO, and German development financier DEG pledged €84 million (approx. US$92mn) to fund the project, pushing the total investment to around €105 million (approx. US$114mn).

The Voltalia–Entech consortium, both experts in renewable energy solutions, has been contracted for the project’s design and construction, combining expertise to ensure successful delivery. This project is part of a broader African strategy to curb fossil fuel use and scale renewable energy deployment across the continent.

AXIAN Energy prioritises human development as a core pillar of its mission, and NEA Kolda is designed not only to deliver clean power but also to catalyse socio-economic progress in the Casamance region.

AXIAN Energy has integrated a wide-reaching corporate social responsibility programme into the development. Nearly 2 billion CFA francs (approx. US$3.3mn) have been committed to community empowerment, spanning healthcare access, education, economic opportunity, cultural enrichment, and climate resilience.

To help local populations achieve financial independence, AXIAN Energy has conducted financial literacy training—focusing on women and youth—equipping them with tools to manage income, build businesses, and pursue long-term entrepreneurial success.

The project supports food security through farmer training in sustainable practices and seed distribution. These steps have empowered local farmers to enhance productivity, improve environmental stewardship, and gain economic autonomy.

NEA Kolda is also a vital source of employment in the region, with nearly 400 locals expected to be engaged in both the construction and operation phases of the plant—ensuring the project’s benefits extend well beyond clean energy provision.

PowerSwitch 7000 delivers reliable, intelligent power switching to ensure uptime for critical digital infrastructure worldwide. (Image source: Vertiv)

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, has introduced the Vertiv PowerSwitch 7000, a new generation static transfer switch that enhances the company’s power solutions lineup

This system extends Vertiv’s end-to-end offerings designed to support the accelerating demands of the digital world across key sectors such as data centres, financial services, and manufacturing. Now available across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, the PowerSwitch 7000 delivers improved power reliability, helping organisations avoid costly operational disruptions.

Power switching revolution?

The PowerSwitch 7000 is engineered to operate downstream from redundant uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems in reserve bus and dual-bus power configurations. It ensures uninterrupted power for mission-critical facilities, including colocation and enterprise data centres, by enabling seamless, automatic transitions between independent power sources. The solution supports both single-corded and dual-corded loads, adding an extra layer of protection, while its internally redundant design helps eliminate single points of failure.

“Power protection and reliability are increasingly critical concerns for data centre operators, especially when planning for computing growth,” said Greg Hoge, product management global director at Vertiv. “By combining reliable switching, operational flexibility, maintenance simplicity, and intelligent diagnostics, Vertiv PowerSwitch 7000 sets a high standard for operational excellence in power switching technology for even the most demanding data centre applications.”

The system includes several new serviceability features, such as a compartmentalised structure that isolates high-voltage areas from maintenance zones to enhance operator safety. The front-access setup enables maintenance without service disruption, reducing downtime and preserving continuous power flow. Additional flexible installation options, like top and bottom cable entry, make it suitable for both raised and non-raised floor settings. The design also includes modular Silicon Controlled Rectifiers (SCRs), hot-swappable fan units, and tool-free air filters to ensure efficient servicing and consistent operation.

A 9-inch colour touchscreen control panel mounted on the unit offers advanced waveform capture capabilities. This feature allows the system to act as a diagnostic tool by capturing high-frequency power data during transfer events, which supports detailed root cause analysis. Facility managers can easily monitor system performance locally, while secure remote access is available via the Intellislot RDU120 communication card, which meets UL2900-1 cybersecurity standards.

The PowerSwitch 7000 integrates seamlessly with Vertiv’s range of power management products, such as UPS systems and power distribution units, to deliver a cohesive power protection ecosystem. The solution is backed by Vertiv Global Services, which offers a global team of experts and a full suite of project, lifecycle, and digital services designed to maximise system uptime and performance.