Transforming Africa’s Energy Landscape with Solar Power
In the quest to tackle the global climate crisis and address the energy deficit in developing nations, EnergiyaGlobal has emerged as a shining example of innovation and impact. Spearheaded by Josef “Yossi” Abramowitz, a visionary leader often referred to as “Captain Sunshine,” the company is on a mission to revolutionize energy access in Africa and beyond.
Abramowitz is-a prominent solar pioneer in Israel and a past Nobel Peace Prize nominee by 12 African countries. EnergiyaGlobal has recently been honored for its exceptional leadership and innovative blended financing models that promote large-scale climate justice in Africa. The recognition comes from the Society for International Development-Israel, the premier umbrella organization that unites civil society, government institutions, academia, private companies, and independent experts in the field of international development and humanitarian aid.
According to Abramowitz, “Israel has the potential to be a super-power of goodness in the developing world, especially in Africa, and EnergiyaGlobal and our partners—donors and impact investors—are proud to pioneer utility-scale solar in a blended-finance model to drive major economic and social development in the Least Developed Countries. We are especially excited about introducing the ‘Abundance’ Initiative, a combined solar and agricultural model that will quadruple poor, women farmer incomes with innovative energy access.”
Sub-Saharan Africa faces significant energy challenges, with over 600 million people lacking access to electricity. This energy poverty has far-reaching consequences, affecting healthcare, education, and economic development. Many rural communities rely on expensive and polluting diesel generators, which exacerbate both environmental and financial hardships.
Recognizing the urgent need for sustainable solutions, he has focused on harnessing the power of the sun to transform lives. As such, EnergiyaGlobal develops utility-scale solar fields that provide clean, affordable energy while creating jobs and driving economic growth.
The development of profitable utility-scale installations EnergiyaGlobal empowers vulnerable communities across Africa, actively implementing solutions to promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As the service arm of the Dutch Gigawatt Global Cooperatief, the company built the first utility-scale solar field in Sub-Saharan Africa, in Rwanda – and its second, completed in April 2021 in Burundi, added 10% to that developing nation’s electricity capacity. EnergiyaGlobal is led by a team of seasoned project developers, financiers, impact investors and green energy experts, and is a founding partner of the US Power Africa program. The company has solar, wind and hydro projects under development in over a dozen sub-Saharan African countries, including S. Sudan, Nigeria, Liberia, Mozambique, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia and the Comoros.
For Abramowitz, renewable energy is more than a technological solution—it’s a moral imperative. Drawing on his Jewish values and activist roots, he views the fight for climate justice as a continuation of ethical, global movements like the Soviet Jewry campaign. “The highest Jewish value is that everyone is created in God’s image and therefore has the right to a life with dignity,” he notes. “Saving the planet so that it can be a supportive habitat for life, especially for the most vulnerable people, is a high Jewish calling.” This ethos is evident in projects like Shamsuna, a joint Bedouin-Jewish initiative promoting climate justice by replacing diesel generators with solar systems in Bedouin schools.
Operating in frontier markets comes with its share of challenges, from navigating complex regulatory environments to countering the influence of entrenched fossil fuel interests. Yet, Abramowitz and his team remain undeterred. “A brick wall in my world is the absolute control that the fossil fuel industry has over Israel’s energy and climate policy; it is African diesel companies that bribe officials to put up roadblocks to our work,” he says. “But we specialize in digging under them, going around them, and even sometimes chipping away at them.”
One of Abramowitz and his partner’s landmark achievements is the solar field at the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda. This project not only supplies 6% of Rwanda’s electricity but also serves as a model for integrating renewable energy with social impact. The project, which brought the first solar interconnection for the Obama-Biden administration in Africa, exemplifies how clean energy can empower communities.
“We specialize in digging under [brick walls], going around them, rappelling up and over them, and even sometimes chipping away at them,” says Abramowitz, reflecting on the challenges of navigating entrenched fossil fuel interests and bureaucratic obstacles.
For Abramowitz, renewable energy is more than a technological solution—it’s a moral imperative. “The highest Jewish value is that everyone is created in God’s image and therefore has the right to a life with dignity,” he notes. “Saving the planet so that it can be a supportive habitat for life, especially for the most vulnerable people, is a high Jewish calling.”
This ethos is evident in projects like Shamsuna, a joint Bedouin-Jewish initiative promoting climate justice by replacing diesel generators with solar systems in Bedouin schools.
Operating in frontier markets comes with its share of challenges, from navigating complex regulatory environments to countering the influence of entrenched fossil fuel interests. Yet, Abramowitz and his team remain undeterred.
“A brick wall in my world is the absolute control that the fossil fuel industry has over Israel’s energy and climate policy; it is African diesel companies that bribe officials to put up roadblocks to our work,” he says. “But we specialize in digging under them, going around them, and even sometimes chipping away at them.”
Abramowitz’s journey offers valuable lessons for individuals and organizations looking to make a difference in the climate space. He emphasizes the importance of moving beyond talk to action:
“Get involved with groups or organizations that are actually getting something done; time for talk is over—we are out of time. It is all about activism to change policy and execution to get things done on the ground.”
For those inspired to join the movement, provides multiple entry points, from donating and investing to advocating for policy change.
As the world grapples with the twin challenges of energy poverty and climate change, groups EnergiyaGlobal stand as a beacon of hope and a testament to what’s possible when vision meets action.