Two new solar microgrid projects were celebrated in Africa earlier this month. Hakwata village in Zimbabwe launched a new remote microgrid and plans to build a solar minigrid in the Nigerian village of Duduguru were announced.
Clean energy, clean water
In Hakwata village, the community celebrated the launch of a new 200-kW solar microgrid and 900 kWh-battery system earlier this month. The remote microgrid will provide reliable electricity to a local health clinic, school, shops and more than 80 homes.
It will also drive water pumps at the clinic, school and shops, giving the community access to clean water.
“The microgrid will not only bring clean power to the Hakwata community but also sets the example for similar renewable energy projects across the country designed to bridge the energy access gap in remote areas, providing rural communities with reliable and clean energy”, said Ayodele Odusola, Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
Nearly all households in Hakwata village, which is in southeastern Zimbabwe near the border with Mozambique, fall below the poverty line. None have electricity, with the community relying on firewood as its primary source of energy. The closest grid connection point is nearly 10 miles (16 km) away.
“The transition from inefficient, costly, and polluting fossil fuels will both improve daily life for the residents but also contribute to Zimbabwe’s environment and climate goals by reducing carbon emissions,” said Kudzai Ndidzano, Deputy Director Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife.
Project funding provided by the United Nations
The $614,000 Hakwata project was funded by Climate Adaption Water and Energy Programme (CAWEP), a United Nations program designed to help rural communities adapt and become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
CAWEP is a $13.6 million program funded by the United Kingdom in cooperation with the UNDP Zimbabwe, the Rural Electrification Fund, and the government of Zimbabwe.
Local technicians will be trained to maintain the microgrid and monitor energy use.
Husk Power announces new Nigerian minigrid project
Husk Power has been one of the most active minigrid developers in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia in recent years. The company’s AI-enabled platforms operate a fleet of more than 200 solar hybrid minigrids in India, Nigeria and Tanzania, providing impacting more than 500,000 people and more than 10,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The company recently announced that it would build a new solar-powered minigrid in Duduguru, a remote community about 120 miles southeast of the Nigerian capital of Abuja.
The minigrid will be built in partnership with Abuja Electricity Distribution and the local community.
The minigrid will supply an estimated 656 kW of electricity daily and service around 1,000 customers. Most of those receiving power from the microgrid will be residential customers, though MSMEs and small factories will also be connected.
“On behalf of Duduguru Community, this is a welcome idea from Husk Power and we strongly believe that this will bring unprecedented development to Duduguru community in Jenkwe Development Area of Obi Local Government, Nasarawa State,” said Prince Bulus Iwala (JP), Chief of Duduguru (ZHE Duglu).
Husk currently operates more than 40 minigrids in Nigeria, with 50 more in the project pipeline. Last year, the company announced it had raised more than $100 million in equity and debt financing to expand its operations.
Microgrids deliver clean energy to remote communities
Energy access remains a problem in many parts of the world, but no place more so than Africa. Nearly 80% of the global population without electricity lives on the continent, according to recent data.
Remote microgrids, sometimes referred to as minigrids, however, are rapidly transforming the lives of those outside of city centers and beyond the reach of traditional grid infrastructure.
Minigrids are typically constructed in remote areas that do not have access to a central grid. Minigrid systems use software to control distributed energy resources like solar panels and battery storage, providing remote communities with reliable, clean and affordable power.
A minigrid in Uganda was recently recognized for its work in delivering economical, clean energy to a rural community, and there has been significant minigrid development in Ethiopia and Nigeria in recent months. New microgrid projects have also recently been announced or completed in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
