Solar PV research in East Africa has concentrated on solar home systems (SHS) in each country. However, several other fundamental advances in the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry have emerged, and the developments have seen the sector experienced significant growth and diversification of models, regulation, and financing. This paper begins with an extensive narrative on the solar PV outlook of each of the six countries studied. A solar PV minigrid was also simulated using HOMER software with a critical load of 2800.0 kWh/day in order to analyze the peak shaving capability and assess the affordability of the solar PV microgrid having commercial and industrial loads. The regional overview of the efforts was identified, followed by a description of the models, payment methods, and barriers encountered collectively. The lessons from this research suggest that there is a vast potential for solar PV micro and minigrid deployment in the region with a population of over 100 million people lacking access to electricity by the end of 2019. It shows that solar PV minigrid deployment in East Africa is still at a nascent phase. Also, minigrid developers face several challenges operating in rural areas. While solar PV minigrids remain fairly nascent in the East Africa region, the technology is gaining traction, a development that indicates budding confidence in the solar PV minigrid technology. This study identifies that (1) with large critical loads (industrial and commercial), solar PV minigrid can still contribute to affordable electricity through peak shaving, except Tanzania; (2) solar PV minigrid projects are largely dependent on donor financing, require vast financial diversity to get off the ground, and offer consistent service; (3) Governments support in the form of National electrification strategies, policies, and regulation are key ingredients for realizing the electrification of rural populations through minigrids; (4) hybrid minigrids and power demand creation have emerged as an approach that ensures sustainability or profitability for the operating solar minigrid firms. Overall, government policy and regulation, funding, and financial sustainability remain the major hurdles to minigrid uptake in the region.

Four non-zero-dispersion-shifted fibers with almost the same large effective area (A(eff)) and optimized dispersion properties are realized by novel index profile designing and modified vapor axial deposition and modified chemical vapor deposition processes. An A(eff) of greater than 71 μm(2) is obtained for the designed fibers. Three of the developed fibers with positive dispersion are improved by reducing the 1550 nm dispersion slope from 0.072 ps/nm(2)/km to 0.063 ps/nm(2)/km or 0.05 ps/nm(2)/km, increasing the 1550 nm dispersion from 4.972 ps/nm/km to 5.679 ps/nm/km or 7.776 ps/nm/km, and shifting the zero-dispersion wavelength from 1500 nm to 1450 nm. One of these fibers is in good agreement with G655D and G.656 fibers simultaneously, and another one with G655E and G.656 fibers; both fibers are beneficial to high-bit long-haul dense wavelength division multiplexing systems over S-, C-, and L-bands. The fourth developed fiber with negative dispersion is also improved by reducing the 1550 nm dispersion slope from 0.12 ps/nm(2)/km to 0.085 ps/nm(2)/km, increasing the 1550 nm dispersion from -4 ps/nm/km to -6.016 ps/nm/km, providing facilities for a submarine transmission system. Experimental measurements indicate that the developed fibers all have excellent optical transmission and good macrobending and splice performances.

This article empirically examined the influence of available electricity on information and communication technology (ICT) usage in East African Community (EAC) countries deploying regression analysis. It operationalized ICT usage in terms of the composite index comprising mobile phone, Internet, and electricity access by the percentage of the population who has an electricity connection. The results indicate that (1) a strong beneficial link exists between power access and ICT usage in three EAC countries (Burundi, Kenya, and Rwanda). (2) Employing data flow assumptions for the linear regression analysis in Burundi, Kenya, and Rwanda means that ICT usage can be determined based on electricity access in each of these countries. (3) There is no direct link between electricity access and ICT usage in South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Previous research on green innovation sought to comprehend the antecedents and outcomes of environmental regulations. However, how these antecedents translate into outcomes may vary depending on different types of environmental regulations, such as environmental subsidies and pollution charges. We propose and test the effects of different environmental regulations on enterprises’ green innovation preferences. Moreover, we analyze how ownership type moderates the observed effects. The fundamental results reveal that: (1) Environmental subsidies and pollution charges positively affect energy conservation innovation. (2) Environmental subsidies and pollution charges positively affect emission reduction innovation. (3) Pollution charges are not as effective as environmental subsidies in promoting energy conservation innovation. However, pollution charges have a greater implementation effect than environmental subsidies in encouraging emission reduction innovation. (4) The types of enterprise ownership only play a positive moderating role in the relationship between pollution charges and emission reduction innovation. Accordingly, this paper provides auxiliary decision-making for the government to motivate the energy conservation and emission reduction of enterprises.