Solar power companies are growing fast in Africa, where 600 million still lack electricity

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Companies that bring solar power to some of the poorest homes in Central and West Africa are said to be among the fastest growing on a continent whose governments have long struggled to address some of the world's worst infrastructure and the complications of climate change.

The often African-owned companies operate in areas where the vast majority of people live disconnected from the electricity grid, and offer products ranging from solar-powered lamps that allow children to study at night to elaborate home systems that power kitchen appliances and plasma televisions. Prices range from less than $20 for a solar-powered lamp to thousands of dollars for home appliances and entertainment systems.

Central and West Africa have some of the world’s lowest electrification rates. In West Africa, where 220 million people live without power, this is as low as 8%, according to the World Bank. Many rely on expensive kerosene and other fuels that fill homes and businesses with fumes and risk causing fires.

At the last United Nations climate summit, the world agreed on the goal of tripling the capacity for renewable power generation by 2050. While the African continent is responsible for hardly any carbon emissions relative to its size, solar has become one relatively cost-effective way to provide electricity.

The International Energy Agency, in a report earlier this year, said small and medium-sized solar companies are making rapid progress reaching homes but more needs to be invested to reach all African homes and businesses by 2030.

About 600 million Africans lack access to electricity, it said, out of a population of more than 1.3 billion.

Among the companies that made the Financial Times' annual ranking of Africa's fastest growing companies of 2023 was Easy Solar, a locally owned firm that brings solar power to homes and businesses in Sierra Leone and Liberia. The ranking went by compound annual growth rate in revenue.

Co-founder Nthabiseng Mosia grew up in Ghana with frequent power cuts. She became interested in solving energy problems in Africa while at graduate school in the United States. Together with a U.S. classmate, she launched the company in Sierra Leone with electrification rates among the lowest in West Africa.

"There wasn’t really anybody doing solar at scale. And so we thought it was a good opportunity,” Mosia said in an interview.

Since launching in 2016, Easy Solar has brought solar power to over a million people in Sierra Leone and Liberia, which have a combined population of more than 14 million. The company’s network includes agents and shops in all of Sierra Leone’s 16 districts and seven of nine counties in Liberia.

Many communities have been connected to a stable source of power for the first time. “We really want to go to the last mile deep into the rural areas,” Mosia said.

The company began with a pilot project in Songo, a community on the outskirts of Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown. Uptake was slow at first, Mosia said. Villagers worried about the cost of solar-powered appliances, but once they began to see light in their neighbors’ homes at night, more signed on.

“We have long forgotten about kerosene,” said Haroun Patrick Samai, a Songo resident and land surveyor. “Before Easy Solar we lived in constant danger of a fire outbreak from the use of candles and kerosene."

Altech, a solar power company based in Congo, also ranked as one of Africa's fastest growing companies. Fewer than 20% of the population in Congo has access to electricity, according to the World Bank.

Co-founders Washikala Malango and Iongwa Mashangao fled conflict in Congo's South Kivu province as children and grew up in Tanzania. They decided to launch the company in 2013 to help solve the power problems they had experienced growing up in a refugee camp, relying on kerosene for power and competing with family members for light to study at night.

Altech now operates in 23 out of 26 provinces in Congo, and the company expects to reach the remaining ones by the end of the year. Its founders say they have sold over 1 million products in Congo in a range of solar-powered solutions for homes and businesses, including lighting, appliances, home systems and generators.

“For the majority of our customers, this is the first time they are connected to a power source,” Malango said.

Repayment rates are over 90%, Malango said, helped in part by a system that can turn off power to appliances remotely if people don't pay.

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Yakubu Achiri fixes a car battery to his solar system at his house in Gushegu northern, Ghana, Friday Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photos/Abdul Haqq Mahama)

A young man stands by a community radio station solar setup sponsored by a German NGO in Gushegu northern, Ghana, Friday Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photos/Abdul Haqq Mahama)

A man sits in a community radio station powered by a solar setup sponsored by a German NGO in Gushegu northern, Ghana, Friday Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photos/Abdul Haqq Mahama)

Solar torch lights are seen on the rooftop of a building in Gushegu northern, Ghana, Friday Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photos/Abdul Haqq Mahama)

Yakubu Achiri holds a solar panel that he uses to power his light bulb at his house in Gushegu northern, Ghana, Friday Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photos/Abdul Haqq Mahama)

A girl stands in front of a house connected to solar system in Gushegu northern, Ghana, Friday Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photos/Abdul Haqq Mahama)

Yahya Alhassan tests a light bulb with a solar system at his home in Gushegu northern, Ghana, Friday Sept 6, 2024. (AP Photos/Abdul Haqq Mahama)

Rukaya Tongdoo connects a torchlight to a solar powered radio outside her house in Gushegu northern, Ghana, Friday Sept 6, 2024. (AP Photos/Abdul Haqq Mahama)

This photo released by Easy Solar shows a man and his family watching television with a solar power in his house in Monrovia, Liberia, Saturday Aug. 26, 2023. (Muctarr Bah Mohamed/Easy Solar via AP)

This photo released by Easy Solar shows a large solar panels installation on a rooftop of an office building in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Tuesday Aug. 13, 2024. (Muctarr Bah Mohamed/Easy Solar via AP)

This photo released by Easy Solar shows a large solar panels installation on a rooftop of an office building in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Tuesday Aug. 13, 2024. (Muctarr Bah Mohamed/Easy Solar via AP)

SELVA DI VAL GARDENA, Italy (AP) — Marco Odermatt finally conquered the Saslong and the Swiss standout did it in style.

Odermatt put down what he called “one of my best” downhill runs on Saturday to win a World Cup race in Val Gardena as the three-time overall World Cup champion looked like back to his imperious best.

The 27-year-old beat Swiss teammate Franjo von Allmen by 0.45 seconds for his first victory at the resort in the Italian Dolomites. Odermatt had had four podium finishes there — including in Saturday’s super-G — but had never been better than second.

It was Odermatt’s 40th World Cup victory but only his third in downhill.

"It was one of my best downhills," Odermatt said. “If you want to win the downhill, you need the perfect run and today already on the top, which is not really my section, I could ski very well and finally I also jumped well, and then it was really perfect. So yeah, very happy with the run.”

It had also been a less than stellar start to the season for Odermatt — by his lofty standards — and he yelled out in joy several times after crossing the line, before taking off his skis and raising them up and letting out another long shout.

Before Odermatt came down it had been an incredibly tight race, with the top three separated by just 0.02. In the end, American skier Ryan Cochran-Siegle finished third, with Nils Allègre of France missing out on what would have been only his second ever podium finish by one hundredth of a second.

It was Cochrane-Siegle's third podium after also finishing third in Val Gardena four years ago and winning the super-G in Bormio 10 days later.

“It was good skiing, it was fun,” he said. “Gardena is a really challenging hill to ski, in the sense of skiing fast. I’ve had runs here where I thought I’d put down a good one, and it’s been seconds out, so you really never know until you cross the finish line.

"I was just focusing on trying to carry speed as much as possible. When I ski my best I do that — keeping skiing really simple, back to basics.”

Odermatt won the downhill World Cup title last season, as well as the super-G, giant slalom and overall crystal globes.

The only previous downhill this season was in Beaver Creek, where Odermatt finished second to teammate Justin Murisier.

Odermatt moved 78 points above Murisier in the downhill standings and 50 points above Henrik Kristoffersen in the overall.

The circuit moves to nearby Alta Badia where there is a giant slalom on Sunday and a slalom the following day.

Meanwhile, Lindsey Vonn finished 14th in a super-G in St. Moritz, Switzerland to mark her return to World Cup skiing at age 40. Her comeback continues in a super-G in St. Moritz on Sunday.

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt listens to the national anthem on the podium after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, center, winner of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, celebrates on the podium with second-placed Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen, left, and third-placed United States' Ryan Cochran Siegle, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt celebrates on the podium after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

United States' Ryan Cochran Siegle speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

United States' Ryan Cochran Siegle celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt celebratesat the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)