Sturdee, Denmark Partner on Southern Africa Solar

Key Figures & Findings: Denmark’s Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU) has committed $22 million in equity to Sturdee Energy, a Johannesburg-based developer focused on utility-scale and distributed solar in Southern Africa, as part of a broader strategy to back climate-friendly development in emerging markets. This marks IFU’s first investment under South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), a key public-private framework to reduce reliance on coal. According to IFU, the goal is to accelerate clean energy deployment in Southern Africa. The funding will directly support Sturdee Energy's efforts to scale up infrastructure and expand community impact across the region.

Statistics & Insights: With this investment, Sturdee will grow its solar PV portfolio from 11 MW to 250 MW by 2027, creating over 1,500 jobs in project development and operations. The USD 22 million equity is also expected to catalyze an additional USD 66 million from co-investors, unlocking a total USD 88 million in renewable energy deployment across the Southern African region. The expansion plan prioritizes community-based economic development, aiming to boost SME participation and enhance technical skillsets in host areas.

Future Implications: If successfully deployed, this funding could shift how regional developers tap international capital to scale renewables, especially under climate-focused transition funds like the JETP. By 2027, Sturdee’s network could anchor distributed generation efforts critical to grid resilience and energy access across energy-constrained SADC countries.

Source: solarfinanced.africa