Wednesday
October 5
2022

Energy Infrastructure Firms to Scale Mini-Grid Model in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda

By Nasi Hako

InfraCo Africa, part of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) has signed an agreement with Equatorial Power (EP), committing $1.7 million to scale the company’s innovative mini-grid model in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.

The project will see the companies co-develop four new mini-grids and four agri-processing hubs (APHs) on Idjwi Island, DRC, followed by a further four solar mini-grids and three APHs in south-east Rwanda. This will provide smaller businesses with access to electricity, create jobs directly and through the local supply chain, support SDG 8.

Ranging in size from 60kW to 85kW, the new mini-grids will incorporate battery storage to manage fluctuating sunshine during the countries’ rainy seasons. It is anticipated that the project will deliver around 3,330 connections to low-income consumers in DRC and 2,500 in Rwanda, providing over 35,000 people with clean energy access by 2023, supporting SDG 7 and SDG 13.

Photo courtesy of Axel Fassio/CIFOR.

Source: ESI Africa (link opens in a new window)

Categories
Agriculture, Energy
Tags
infrastructure, scale, SDGs