Solar thermal power company eSolar Inc said on Friday it granted South African company Clean Energy Solutions exclusive rights to represent and distribute eSolar's concentrating solar power technology across seven countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Johannesburg-based Clean Energy Solutions develops renewable energy projects.

It hasn't yet reached Ali Lamie's small store, which flashes with colours as he charges cellphones by the rack. But after more than 30 years, Bumbuna hydroelectric dam is bringing power and economic hope to Sierra Leone.

East Africa should tap its large cogeneration potential, burning waste from its sugar and tea output to cut reliance on hydro power, which is increasingly hit by drought, an energy analyst said on Wednesday.

Congo must improve governance in its energy sector to attract investment and exploit its full potential, World Bank President Robert Zoellick said on Monday.

- A project linking solar power from the Sahara to energy users in Europe and North Africa could create 240,000 German jobs and generate 2 trillion euros ($2,822 billion) worth of power by 2050, a study published on Thursday found.

Industrial designer Virginia Gardiner has designed not just a new toilet, but a new closed-loop management system that will allow individuals to, basically, recycle their poop. Yeah, I just said that.

But give her idea a few minutes of your attention, because it's really not as gnarly as it sounds.

In recent years the legion of supporters of renewable energy has expanded to include labor unions concerned about jobs, as well as national security and energy independence experts such as George Schultz and James Woolsey.

A global shift toward nuclear power is prompting countries to rush to lock in long-term access to tight supplies of uranium, and China and India look to be the next players to get in on the action.