The 2023/24 batch of National Service Personnel (NSP) from the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) last Friday handed over a renovated fashion centre, washroom facilities and office space at the Accra Rehabilitation Centre at Adabraka, a suburb of Accra, to the management of GRIDCo.
With support from GRIDCo management, the NSP raised about GH¢100,000 for the project.
The initiative is part of GRIDCo’s sustainable corporate social responsibility strategy, and it underscores the commitment of GRIDCo’s NSP to support local communities.
The project involved a comprehensive renovation of the centre’s fashion centre, which has been re-equipped with three industrial and 10 manual sewing machines, including the renovation of four-unit washroom facility for improved sanitation and renovation of office space for administrators of the centre.
The support will boost vocational training opportunities for the student beneficiaries, while significantly improving the environment for both staff and students.
The GRIDCo 2023/24 NSP were able to successfully undertake this project through their self-imposed monthly contributions and with additional support from the management of GRIDCo.
Miss Rosabeth Akiwele Avio, President of the 2023/24 GRIDCo NSP, stated: “We are proud to contribute to the improved well-being of the Accra Rehabilitation Centre. This project reflects GRIDCo’s dedication to community service and the importance of empowering individuals through skills development.”
“As we hand over the renovated facilities and the new tailoring equipment today, let us remember that this is just the beginning. Together, we are providing not just resources but also hope and opportunity for those at the centre.”
This initiative continues a tradition of community support by GRIDCo NSP, who have consistently worked to uplift underserved areas.
Ms. Florence Agyei, Director of Human Resources, expressed her appreciation, saying: “On behalf of the management and staff of GRIDCo, I commend our NSP for their outstanding efforts in enhancing the lives of those in our communities.
Your actions exemplify GRIDCo’s core value of CARE, and we encourage you to carry this spirit forward in all your future endeavours.” The role of the centre is to rehabilitate persons living with disabilities.
In a comment, Mr. Seth Dzidzornu said: “We are, indeed, grateful to the management of GRIDCo and the 2023/2024 NSP for this generous gesture which will not only benefit the institution but also positively transform individual lives.”
He also commended GRIDCo for nurturing the NSP and instilling in them a strong sense of giving back to society.
The NSP appreciated the contribution of the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Grid Company, Ing. Ebenezer Kofi Essienyi, and Madam Ruth Abanga, CSR Officer for GRIDCo, with a citation for their commitment to the cause of service personnel.
GRIDCo remains committed to delivering Ghana’s power transmission needs, while actively supporting the communities it serves
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMCs), Dr Riverson Oppong, has been honoured with the ‘Osagyefo Young Leadership Award’ at the 8th Edition of the Ghana Energy Awards underway at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, the capital of Ghana.
The citation accompanying the award acknowledged Dr. Riverson’s leadership and his remarkable contribution to Ghana’s energy sector.
“Your journey in the energy sector is marked by a wealth of experience and a commitment to excellence. Prior to your current role, you served as the Manager in charge of Commercial Operations at the Ghana National Gas Company, where you played a crucial role in overseeing economic modelling, risk management, and strategic planning. Your tenure at the Ghana National Gas Company was pivotal in shaping operational efficiencies and promoting innovative solutions within the industry.
“With fifteen (15) years of global experience in oil and gas, you have worked on significant projects in various countries including Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, and Iraq. Your involvement in these international endeavours has equipped you with a diverse skill set and a comprehensive understanding of the industry’s complexities. Your role as an experienced Oil and Gas Business Analyst showcases your ability to interpret value creation potential and drive impactful results.
“As an Adjunct Lecturer at esteemed institutions, you have taken on the responsibility of nurturing the next generation of energy leaders. Your dedication to education is evident in your engagement with students, imparting knowledge and inspiring future professionals in the field,” part of the citation said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The 8th Edition of Ghana Energy Awards, organised by the Energy Media Group, ended successfully last Friday at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, the capital of Ghana.
It was under the theme: ‘The Role of Local Content In Building Ghana’s Energy Sector’.
The Special Guest of Honour at the event was Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, the Omanhene of Oguaa Traditional Council Area, Cape Coast, the capital of the Central Region.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
BRICS+ member states, including Russia, South Africa, Ethiopia, China, Brazil, Iran and Bolivia, have held the first meeting within the framework of the Nuclear Energy Platform being created.
During the meeting, top executives of the largest nuclear companies and organisations discussed the initiative and outlined further plans.
Experts claim that by 2050 the BRICS countries will account for half of the global energy generation and consumption, with nuclear power playing an important role in meeting the growing energy demand.
The Platform will promote best practices and advanced nuclear energy and other nuclear technologies in the BRICS and BRICS+ markets, providing incentives and models for nuclear projects in the BRICS member countries.
“Practically all the states of the association are implementing projects in the field of nuclear energy. Today, many BRICS members are the technological drivers of the international nuclear market.
“The common experience can and should be used and replicated throughout the BRICS space and on the planet as a whole.
Therefore, we propose to join forces within the framework of the BRICS nuclear platform, a voluntary alliance of companies, professional nuclear communities and NGOs supporting the development and implementation of nuclear technologies,” said Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom.
Currently, in addition to the 390 GW of operating nuclear power units, another 66 GW of nuclear capacity is under construction globally.
The BRICS countries are making a decisive contribution to global nuclear power. As early as 2030, at least two-thirds of the global nuclear energy growth will come from the BRICS countries.
The energy mix creation is an important step forward sustainable and economically successful future of a country.
Being a low-carbon, safe, reliable and cost-effective, nuclear energy may be considered as a vital element of national energy systems.
Africa is actively engaged in developing nuclear projects across the continent today.
South Africa’s Kouberg nuclear power plant (NPP) is operating, while Egypt is actively constructing the new El-Dabaa NPP – the installation of a core catcher body commenced at NPP’s Unit 3 in the beginning of October.
Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria and Sudan have already engaged with the IAEA to assess their readiness to embark on a nuclear programme. Algeria, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia are also mulling the possibility of nuclear power.
Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Mali, the Republic of Guinea, Burundi have signed memorandums with Rosatom to establish strong nuclear energy ties.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has granted a three-year extension to ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy to build their $10-billion Golden Pass LNG export plant in Texas, Reuters reports, citing an FERC filing.
The federal regulator extended its authorization for construction after Golden Pass hit a snag earlier this year and faces delays due to the bankruptcy of Zachry Holdings, the lead construction contractor of the LNG project.
These delays were the reason for FERC’s extension, according to the document seen by Reuters.
In August, Golden Pass LNG, the Exxon-QatarEnergy joint venture developing the project, applied with the FERC for the three-year extension until November 30, 2029.
Earlier in August, Exxon said it is delaying the start-up of its Golden Pass LNG export project in Texas to late 2025 from the first half of next year after work at the facility stalled following the bankruptcy of the lead contractor.
The delay in the timeline for the start-up means that Exxon and its partner in the project, Qatar’s state firm QatarEnergy, will launch the export plant about six months later than originally scheduled, Exxon’s chief financial officer Kathy Mikells told Bloomberg at the time.
In a setback for the $10-billion project, the lead contractor Zachry Holdings initiated a voluntary court-supervised Chapter 11 process in May and fired thousands of workers.
As a result, progress on the LNG export project at Sabine Pass, Texas, stalled.
Zachry said in June that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas had approved its settlement agreement with Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC and joint venture partners CB&I LLC and Chiyoda International Corporation.
The court decision paved the way for the resumption of work at the project as the settlement allows Golden Pass to resume construction on an expedited basis while Zachry exits the project.
Source: Oilprice.com
The President of the African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA) and Chief Executive Officer of Ghana’s National Petroleum Authority, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has called for urgent action to address Africa’s clean cooking crisis.
Dr Abdul-Hamid emphasised the critical need for LPG to replace traditional biomass fuels, such as wood and charcoal which are still heavily relied on by millions of Africans.
He warned that the global effort to meet United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7), which focuses on providing affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, is progressing too slowly, with Africa facing the steepest challenges.
The NPA boss who made the remarks at the opening of the 2024 ARDA LPG Forum in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, said, “Eighty per cent of Africans still use polluting fuels for cooking, resulting in nearly half a million premature deaths annually.”
This year’s ARDA LPG Forum under the theme: ‘Revolutionising LPG Adoption and Long-Term Sustainability as a Cleaner Cooking Alternative across Africa’, aimed at ensuring universal access to LPG by 2030, enhancing affordability and accessibility, fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships and developing infrastructure and supply chains.
The first-ever ARDA LPG Forum convened regulators, project developers, financiers, and experts to share success stories of LPG uptake; strengthen regulatory commitment and scale up finance for clean cooking.
As President of ARDA and Chief Executive of NPA, Dr Abdul-Hamid is driving the push for cleaner cooking solutions, noting that “Africa’s rapid population growth demands innovative energy solutions. LPG adoption is critical to reducing health risks, promoting sustainability, and driving economic growth.”
The NPA boss urged African governments and international stakeholders to work together to accelerate LPG infrastructure development and create policies that support the transition to cleaner energy sources.
Partnerships between the public and private sectors, ARDA believes, are key to expanding access to LPG, reducing costs, and making clean energy more affordable for low-income households.
“LPG is a proven solution to one of the biggest energy challenges we face,” Dr Abdul-Hamid stated. “We cannot afford to wait: this is a crisis and we need all hands on deck to solve it.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Increased use of natural gas for power generation has made the United States more dependent on fossil fuels for its electricity supply this year than China, the world’s top carbon emitter.
Since June 2024, high U.S. summer electricity demand has been mostly met by increased gas-fired power generation, while a rebound in hydropower in China has limited to some extent the share of coal in its electricity supply.
As a result, fossil fuels – including natural gas and coal – have had an average share of 62.4% of total electricity output in the United States since June.
This compares to a lower fossil fuel share in the coal-dominated power system in China, where fossil fuels accounted for 60.5% of generation between June and September, according to data from energy think tank Ember reported by Reuters columnist Gavin Maquire.
The rise in natural gas power output could undermine the current U.S. goals of making the grid zero-carbon by 2035.
U.S. power generation from natural gas surged by 20% in the first nine months of 2024, compared to the same period of 2019. The share of gas in power supply has jumped to 43% from 38% five years ago.
In recent years, power demand in the United States, the single largest portion of which is delivered by gas-fired power plants, has soared and is expected to continue to surge with rising electrification and more electricity necessary to power and cool data centers.
U.S. power-generating companies are announcing plans for the highest volume of new natural gas-fired capacity in years as the AI boom is driving demand for electricity.
During the first half of 2024, electricity-generating firms unveiled plans for the new gas-powered capacity equal to all capacity announced in 2020, according to data from Sierra Club cited by Bloomberg last month.
Natural gas-fired electricity generation in the United States has jumped year-to-date compared to the same period last year, as total power demand rose with warmer temperatures and demand from data centers.
Source: Oilprice.com
The Republic of Ghana has qualified and been shortlisted, together with Ethiopia and India, for the final stage where 120-member countries will gather in New Delhi, capital of India, on 4th November 2024 to vote and elect the new Director-General of the International Solar Alliance (2025-2028).
Ghana’s nominee for the position, Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo, a former Director for Renewable Energy at the Energy Ministry and Bui Power Authority (BPA), has received massive support and Ghana is anticipating that its nominee beats the other competitors.
Wizzie, as he is affectionately called, has over 30 years experience in the renewable energy sector.
He pioneered most of the renewable energy deployment in Ghana including the largest floating solar facility in Africa.
He was very instrumental in the development of renewable energy policies, plans and regulations in Ghana.
He delivered speeches on Renewable Energy at international events.
Below is the profile of Mr Wisdom Ahiataku -Togobo:
Mr Wisdom Ahiataku-Togobo has a BSc degree in Physic and Mathematics from the University of Ghana, Legon and an MSc degree in Renewable Energy from the University of Oldenburg, Germany.
He also has a post graduate Diploma in Economics (Investment Appraisal and Risk
Management) from Queens University, Kingston Canada.
He is currently pursuing his PhD on Sustainable Energy Policy at the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani.
He started his carrier in the renewable energy sector in 1989 as an Associate Programme Officer with the then National Energy Board and has over the years developed his skills and capacity in the implementation of various renewable energy programmes for rural energy access.
He is currently the Founder and Director of Alternative Technology Consult, Ghana (AT Consult Ghana) after his retirement as the Director Renewable Energy at the Bui Power Authority, a state owned company dedicated to the generation of electricity from renewable and clean energy resources.
He was the Director of Renewable Energy at the Ministry of Energy, Ghana for eleven (11) years and was very instrumental in the development and passage of the Renewable Energy Act, 2011 (Act 832).
He also played a leading role in the development and amendment of the Bui Power
Authority Amendment Act 2020 (Act 1046) and the Renewable Energy Amendment Act 2020 (Act 1045).
Mr. Ahiataku-Togobo also chaired the Committee that developed the Ghana Renewable Energy Master Plan (REMP) in 2019. Before then, he was the Renewable Energy Expert for the World Bank – Ghana Energy Development and Access Project (GEDAP).
He has also worked as the Project Coordinator for the UNDP Household Energy Programme in Ghana.
Mr. Ahiataku-Togobo is a Board Member of the Ghana Nuclear Institute and a founding member of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
He is also a visiting lecturer at the University of Oldenburg, Germany and has a number of publications, articles and reports on renewable energy and sustainable development to his credit.
He is the candidate of the Republic of Ghana for election in November 2024 for the position of the Director General of the International Solar Alliance.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria’s National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC) has reported that a helicopter carrying six personnel and two crew crashed in the Gulf of Guinea, with five of them missing while three bodies had been retrieved as the time of this report.
A statement issued by NNPC Limited said it engaged the helicopter with registration number 5NBQG and it took off from Port Harcourt NAF enroute the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility-NUIMS ANTAN.
The company said, “At about 11:22 am, we lost contact with the Helicopter.”
The helicopter was operated by East Winds Aviation.
Soneye Olufemi Soneye, NNPC Ltd’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, who signed the statement confirming the incident, revealed that the appropriate authorities had been contacted, including the Ministry of Aviation, who had since issued a press statement.
“Search and rescue missions are currently ongoing. So far, three (3) bodies have been recovered,” he said.
He assured Nigerians that NNPC Limited would continue to monitor the situation closely and provide regular updates as events unfold.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the passengers, crew and their families during this challenging time. We are committed to doing everything possible to support the ongoing search and rescue operation,” the NNPC spokesperson stated.
Meanwhile, Eastwind Aviation, which operates Sikorsky S76, also confirmed the incident in a statement.
The statement said the bodies of three (3) persons onboard have been recovered this far, and identification procedures are currently underway.
“Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing for the remaining individuals.
“Our immediate focus and priority is on the search and rescue efforts. We are working closely with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority NCAA and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and we will provide updates as soon as we have more confirmed information from the ongoing search and rescue operations,” he said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nine hundred and eighty one (981) high-voltage electricity towers have been vandalised in recent years by unknown people in four of the six municipalities of Zaire Province in the Republic of Angola.
The Deputy Governor of Zaire for the Political, Social and Economic sector, Afonso Nzolameso, disclosed this at the opening of the awareness campaign on the preservation of electricity transmission lines, promoted by the National Electricity Transmission Network (RNT).
According to him, 476 high voltage towers were damaged in the municipality of Soyo, 372 in Nzeto, 128 in Tomboco and one in Mbanza Kongo, the capital of Zaire Province.
Without giving figures, the official said that the replacement of the equipment damaged by people he called ‘anti-patriots’ cost large sums to the Angolan state coffers.
In turn, the non-executive Director of RNT, Altino Salvador, said that three months ago, the company calculated an estimated loss of over six million US dollars, as a result of the actions carried out by the vandals.
According to the source, to reverse the current situation, RNT decided to relaunch the campaign to raise awareness of the population for the preservation of the social and economic equipment that the Executive makes available to it.
Launched in 2019 in the province of Cuanza-Norte, with the designation Kilueso (danger), the awareness campaign was interrupted in 2020 due to Covid-19.
It should be noted that the province of Zaire benefits from electricity from the national grid in all municipal headquarters, including some communes and villages.
The province of Zaire has an estimated population of more than 600,000 inhabitants, spread over six municipalities, 25 communities and 711 villages.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Springfield E&P, a wholly-owned Ghanaian independent upstream petroleum player, has commenced an appraisal of its Afina -1x Well at the West Cape Three Points (WCTP) Block 2 Offshore in the Republic of Ghana.
The company contracted Deepsea Bollsta Rig from Northern Ocean Limited (NOL) to lead its appraisal of the Afina-1x Well and this portal understands that the rig arrived at the country’s offshore on October 18 and started work on Sunday, October 20, 2024.
The appraisal of the Afina -1x Well comes barely three months after a ruling by an international court of arbitration directed Springfield E&P to undertake appraisal of the Afina Discovery to determine the possible utilisation of Afina Discovery and Sankofa Field operated by Italian oil and gas giant, Eni.
The Ghanaian firm and the Italian oil and giant have been in dispute over the claim that Afina -1x Well and Sankofa Field are connected.
At a news conference in Accra today, Wednesday, October 23, 2024, attended by top officials of Springfield E&P, Northern Ocean Limited, Halliburton and GNPC, the Chief Executive Officer of Springfield E&P, Mr. Kevin Okyere, disclosed that his outfit had projected to spend about $65 million dollars on appraising the Afina -1x Well.
According to him, his outfit has already spent about $200 million dollars on the field.
Prospects of the well
Mr. Okyere told this portal that the field that is in dispute holds about 640 million barrels out of the 2 billion barrels in the area.
Kevin Okyere, Chief Executive Officer of Springfield E&P.
Touching on the work done so far, he said “we have already done a mini DSD called MDT and the oil flowed.”
“We even took a sample of the oil and sent it to the UK to get it tested. And that’s how we got the results to say that it’s the same as that of the Sankofa Field,” he added.
Asked what would be the future of Springfield E&P if the appraisal result is not positive, Mr. Okyere responded that “with the properties that we’ve seen, it should be beyond a miracle for the oil not to flow.”
Mr. Okyere, who expressed concerns about the delay in the utilisation of the two fields, said had this been done long ago Ghana’s oil production would have increased than it is currently.
“Well, this has taken five years. I mean, honestly, we didn’t know it would take this long because I mean it went to arbitration. Arbitration also took a good amount of time.
I think the impact of this is much greater than we anticipated.
“If this had been resolved years ago, I can guarantee you that Ghana’s oil production would be far ahead than where it is today,” he said.
Despite the delay, Mr. Okyere is convinced that the country could increase its oil production if the appraisal is completed and the result is positive.
“We are very optimistic that within the next six months after completion, we will start making some positive progress and also add more production to Ghana’s oil,” he added.
Commenting on the appraisal, Mr. Jerry Greenfield, a representative of GNPC, said his outfit was very excited about the Afina Discovery because it had proven that there is more oil that sits within the basin.
He explained that work of appraisal is to unravel uncertainties around a certain discovery so that certain decisions can be taken.
He said, for example, commercial decisions and production decisions can be taken.
“We are happy at the pace at which we have moved quickly after the arbitration ruling. Within the space of three months, we have been able to mobilise this rig.
“It’s a feat that is hardly achieved by any of the major companies. They they’re not able to mobilise that quickly. And we are happy that this is being done. That will pave the way for us to be able to take the major decisions once we are able to flow this well, test flow this well, we’re able to know the flow rates that, Afina can deliver, that we can easily plan how we can develop it. And we’re happy about this project, and we are fully supportive of it,” he said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria’s minister for power, Adebayo Adelabu, has constituted a six-member Committee to advise the Federal Government on necessary solutions to make the country’s national grid robust and reliable.
This was contained in a statement issued by Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser, Strategic Communication and Media Relations to the Minister of Power.
Members of the committee include Nafisat Ali, Executive Director, Independent System Operator, ISO, who leads the committee, Dr. Chidi Ike, Commissioner, NERC, Engr. Ishola General Manager. National Control Centre, NCC.
Others are Emmanuel Nosike, Director, Transmission, Ministry of Power, Ali Sharifai General Manager, Transmission Service Provider, TSP, and Adedayo Olowoniyi, Chief Technical Adviser to the Minister of Power.
He said the committee members are expected to present a report to the minister on Nov. 1.
”The committee is to also establish the root cause of both incidents, especially a review of potential sabotage on the system.
”The committee will holistically review the national grid stability and identify investments and technical capacities required to make the grid smart and resilient.
According to him, the minister expressed displeasure at the incident, which he said, was capable of rubbishing the giant strides made in the last one year.
Mr. Tunji recalled that on Oct. 14, there was a partial collapse due to the tripping of a line at the Jebba Transmission Substation, and recurring fault at the Osogbo Transmission Substation.
He said that efforts to restore the grid further resulted in a setback the following day. The System was however fully restored on Oct. 16.
”There was no grid collapse on Tuesday as was widely speculated as the setback was a continuation of Monday’s restoration efforts on the grid.
”What was described on Oct. 19, as grid collapse, was a deliberate protective shut down of the grid as a result of the explosion of the Jebba transformer. And this was restored within two hours,” he said.
”What we had were more grid disturbances than collapses.
“Preliminary assessment of the Jebba incident suggested that the explosion was as a result of ageing equipment unrelated to the initial collapse, ”he said.
Mr Tunji said that the committee was an addition to the ongoing efforts of the government like the Presidential Power Initiatives, PPI, and the Nigeria Electricity Transmission Project, NETAP, to ensure reliable power supply.
He said that a technical team had also been deployed to access the critical nodes on the national grid, to identify potential vulnerabilities and proffer recommendations to prevent future disruptions.
The minister had invited the leadership of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, at the weekend to an emergency meeting over grid disturbance.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
At least eleven people were killed on Tuesday after a fuel truck exploded next to a highway in Uganda, police said.
According to a report by AP news, two children were among the dead. The truck overturned after an accident and later exploded in a town just outside Kampala, the capital, police spokesman Patrick Onyango said.
“The victims were burnt beyond recognition,” he said in a statement. A cloud of dark smoke rose from the scene.
A video shared online by an onlooker appeared to show people scooping up fuel from the truck before the blast.
The dangerous scene echoed a similar incident in Nigeria last week that killed more than 140 people, including children.
People who rushed to collect fuel from stricken trucks hoped to sell it, despite warnings to stay away.
“This tragic incident serves as a reminder of the risks associated with fuel tanker accidents and the importance of exercising caution when dealing with hazardous materials,” Onyango said.
There have been similar incidents over the years across East Africa. At least 62 people who attempted to siphon fuel out of a damaged truck were killed in Tanzania in 2019.
In South Sudan, at least 183 people were killed in 2015 when hundreds of villagers gathered around a fuel truck to collect fuel.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Gridworks, the UK government-backed investor in Africa’s electricity networks, has
announced the appointment of Erik Knive as its new Chief Executive Officer.
A statement issued by the company said Erik will take up his new role in January 2025.
Erik Knive brings extensive experience from his most recent role at Aker Horizons, a listed Norwegian multinational, where he led investments in green industries, including renewable power production, carbon capture technology, and the global development of hydrogen and its derivatives.
Previously, Erik served as Group CEO of SN Power, a global renewable energy company focused on middle-income and developing markets. He also held the position of Group CEO at Green Resources, an Africa-focused forestry and forestry products company.
Additionally, Erik has held senior management roles in various telecommunications
companies worldwide. Throughout his 30-year career, Erik has lived in 12 countries and
served on over 30 boards.
A Norwegian national, Erik was educated at Harvard Business School and the University of New Orleans. He is also a certified pilot.
Welcoming the appointment, Gridworks’ Acting Chair, Dr Snowy Khoza said: “The Board is delighted to welcome Erik as our new CEO. Erik has extensive experience in leading complex organisations, particularly in the power development and investment sector. His proven track record of driving growth and innovation, coupled with his international perspective and leadership acumen, will be invaluable as we maintain our strategy and mission to be the leading developer and investor in Africa’s electricity networks. The Board would also like to thank our Interim co-CEOs, Chris Flavin and Mark Richards who have provided crucial leadership this year as Gridworks has unveiled a series of important new initiatives.”
Erik Knive said: “It’s a privilege to take on this new role and I look forward to working with our team, our shareholder and all our partners to build on the progress that Gridworks has made so far. Well-functioning electricity networks are vital to Africa, where most businesses struggle daily to deal with unreliable power and only half the continent has access to electricity. I’m joining at an exciting time for the company and for Africa’s electricity sector. With its team of dedicated sector experts and an impressive portfolio and pipeline, Gridworks has the potential to transform the lives of millions of people.”
An investor in Africa’s electricity transmission & distribution sector, Gridworks is a
subsidiary of British International Investment, the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor.
Holger Rothenbusch, Managing Director and Head of Infrastructure at BII, said: “I am delighted that Erik is joining Gridworks, at a critically important time, to lead it on its next stage of growth. About 600 million people in Africa still don’t have access to reliable and affordable electricity. BII created Gridworks as a developer, owner and operator specialising in power transmission and distribution in Africa as we believe investing in electricity networks is crucial. Erik, with his significant experience, will further build on the foundations of Gridworks as the continent’s first dedicated investor and developer in electricity networks.”
Gridworks is developing a series of ground-breaking projects to bring clean, affordable and reliable power to Africa’s people and its businesses.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
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