•Candi Solar acquired the $38 million equity capital from Norfund ($20m), STOA ($14.5m) and Kyuden International ($3.5m).
•In South Africa, the firm has a 400 kW project in Durban, a 135kW system for Schindler, and a 1.5MW solar plant.
By Oke Peter
In a bid to accelerate clean energy projects by taking out capital investment decisions for businesses, Candi Solar, a Switzerland-based firm operating in Africa and Asia, has secured $38 million in equity capital.
These funds obtained from Norfund ($20m), STOA ($14.5m) and Kyuden International ($3.5m) will be divided equally between the Asian and African markets, with $19 million allocated specifically for Africa. In South Africa, Candi Solar plans to deploy approximately 100 MW of capacity.
Photovoltaic solar panels and wind turbines, San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm, California, USA. (c) Science Photo Library
Philippe Flamand, the director and co-founder of Candi Solar, disclosed that they invest in the business upfront and get paid per kilowatt delivered. Furthermore, he explained that the company’s strategy in South Africa has shifted from cost savings to addressing critical issues such as load shedding.
Expressing optimism for Candi Solar’s growth in the market, Flamand added, “When we started in South Africa, load shedding was not a big topic. The load-shedding story is still a challenge to market participants like businesses, but it’s creating an opportunity for us.
“We expect electricity prices to rise, creating an opportunity for us to offer solar as a solution and accelerate the use of clean, more sustainable energy one rooftop at a time.”
