Gigawatt Global, a global company that deals with renewable energy has decided to participate in a 7.5MW solar project in Burundi to assist in electricity generation in the country.
The solar power project, which will cost US$ 20m, is anticipated to generate a 15 per cent capacity of electricity and will be carried out in Gitega, 104 km from the capital city, Bujumbura. It will further supply electricity to at least 600,000 homes.
“Our impact investment model is to support developing countries, economically by providing renewable energy sources where they are most needed. We plan to put up 1,000 solar megawatts in Africa by 2020 hence supplying electricity to the many homes and institutions that are currently without this need,” said Yosef Abramowitz, Gigawatt Global president.
The significant project by Gigawatt is made possible by a partnership with the Power Africa through the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and the Energy and Environment Partnership (EEP) which constitutes the Austrian, British and Finnish governments. The firms have signed a US$ 1m grant agreement to see the latter two contribute the funds for the solar power project.
The US$ 1m donation will cater for different functions, USTDA funds will be used to address environmental, social, economic and technical aspects for the project and finances from EEP will be used for pre-development works and legal costs. The solar power project will be developed on a 37 acres of land.
Gigawatt Global, with headquarters in The Netherlands early this year erected a significant 8.5MW solar plant in Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda, a plant that will generate 8.5MW and Africa’s largest of its kind. The company announced it would be spending US$2billion in developing 1000Mw of solar power in Africa by 2020.
