Coordinator Update

Power Africa Logo

The Coordinator's Corner: Notes from the Field

It’s been a fantastic end of our summer and first few weeks of fall. So much has happened in the last several months: In case you missed the news, President Obama highlighted Power Africa in his speech at the U.S.-Africa Business Forum in New York City where we also announced more than $1 billion in new commitments to real deals, we released our Annual Report and the new Power Africa video, we added Japan as a new Power Africa partner, and the MCC Compact in Ghana entered into force on Sept. 6!

 

Power Africa Film Launched During U.S.-Africa Business Forum

Power Africa is pleased to present a new film that shows the breadth of the work of the presidential initiative over the past three years. This short video showcases a variety of projects in sub-Saharan Africa where Power Africa is working to double access to electricity by 2030.

The video features the results of:

  • Power Africa partner ContourGlobal’s Kivuwatt floating methane extraction plant, which benefited from advocacy by the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce.

  • U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) grants for mini-hydro projects.

  • Power Africa partner Gigawatt Global’s development of the first grid-scale solar project in East Africa.

  • The innovative work that our Beyond the Grid partners BBOX and Mobisol are doing to add thousands of people who live “Beyond the Grid.”

Power Africa Video

Video Transcript 
0:01 With every light that turns on, a path is illuminated.
0:06" When you put some installations, like in the darkness, everybody there in the family
0:11 gets excited."
0:14 Access to electricity is opportunity.
0:17I t’s the flip of a switch that allows a business to thrive.
0:22 Relief for a worried mother.
0:25 The spark that fuels the next big idea.
0:28 And it’s the connection that’s needed to plug Africa into the global economy.
0:34 Power Africa, a U.S.
0:36 Government-led partnership, is creating that connection,
0:40 doubling access to electricity in sub Saharan Africa,
0:44 using the rich resources of the African sun, wind, streams, lakes and natural gas,
0:52i nvesting in technologies that expand the grid and reach beyond power lines.
0:58 Thanks to Power Africa, the rushing waters of a river will light a town.
1:03 Students can count on solar fields to light their path.
1:07 And the bubbling gas under an African Great Lake fuels the only floating methane extraction
1:14 plant in the world.
1:17 Power Africa brings together the greatest innovators, top companies, and countries to
1:23 spur Africa’s energy revolution.
1:26 With these partnerships, we’ve mobilized billions of dollars in investment, and broken
1:32 down barriers to speed up power projects.
1:35 Our work is shining a light on an untapped market, and investors are taking notice.
1:42 Power Africa will generate 30,000 more megawatts of electricity and electrify another 60 million
1:49 homes and businesses.
1:50 It’s ambitious, but achievable.
1:54 "There's nothing more exciting than being present when our customers turn on their lights
1:59 or their TVs."
2:00 And by teaching the next generation, Africa will lead its energy future.
2:06 "If more kids become engineers, with the necessary tools, they can transform Africa."
2:12 The future is bright.
2:15 Join us.
 

Power Africa in the News

Read the latest global media coverage of Power Africa, our partners, and the African energy sector. > Read More


Power Africa Tracking Tool

Track power projects as they progress through the development pipeline. >Download for your ​Apple device.


Annual Report

Power Africa‘s Annual Report highlights the progress made in the second year, lessons learned, and the roadmap to a brighter African future. > Download the Report


Power Africa Toolbox

Power Africa's Toolbox, now online, provides the resources needed to unlock the power and opportunity of sub-Saharan Africa. > View the Full Toolbox


Power Africa Photo Gallery

Power Africa's growing photo gallery, with entries from our recent photo contest, features the work of our partners across sub-Saharan Africa. Explore the Gallery