Measures for diffusion of solar PV in selected African countries

This paper investigates how African governments are considering
supporting and promoting the diffusion of solar PV. This issue is
explored by examining so-called ‘technology action plans (TAPs)’, which
were main outputs of the Technology Needs Assessment project
implemented in 10 African countries from 2010 to 2013. The paper
provides a review of three distinct but characteristic trajectories for PV
market development in Kenya (private-led market for solar home
systems), Morocco (utility-led fee-for service model) and Rwanda (donorled
market for institutional systems). The paper finds that governments’
strategies to promoting solar PV are moving from isolated projects
towards frameworks for market development and that there are high
expectations to upgrading in the PV value chain through local assembly
of panels and local production of other system elements. Commonly
identified measures include support to: local production; financing
schemes; tax exemptions; establishment and reinforcement of standards;
technical training; and research and development.

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