Solarcentury has been selected to design and build two solar powered mini-grids using solar PV and lithium batteries to power the communities of Areza and Maidma in Eritrea, East Africa.
The US$7.4m contract will showcase the use of solar hybrid power systems to provide grid quality power to 40,000 people and businesses remote from the grid and presents a model for rural electrification across Africa.
The overall project is funded by the European Union through the ACP EU Energy Facility (10th European Development Fund € 8,000,000), the Government of the State of Eritrea US$2.5m and the United Nations Development Programme in Eritrea US$2.5m.
It will be managed by the Eritrean Ministry of Energy and Mines. Areza and Maidma have no grid power, so are currently served by small diesel generators which are environmentally damaging and economically costly to run, providing a limited and intermittent power supply.
A representative of the Eritrean Ministry of Energy and Mines said, “This project aims to improve the livelihoods of people living in rural towns and villages. It is hoped the project will be replicated in order to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change in Eritrea and provide access to reliable power 24/7.”
Dr Daniel Davies, Director of Hybrid Power Systems at Solarcentury said, “Solar power and energy storage technologies are increasingly the most cost-effective way to deliver clean reliable power to areas remote from the grid.
This exciting project builds on the work we have done elsewhere in Africa and will demonstrate the amazing potential for solar to provide low-cost reliable power in isolated areas”.
The project is scheduled for completion in early 2018.
About Solarcentury
Solarcentury is one of the most respected solar companies in the world. Founded in 1998, they have been around since the early days of the solar industry and are part of the rapid evolution that has made PV the mainstream energy source that it is today. They have put solar on a greater variety of sites than any other company in the industry, and have won multiple awards for product innovation.
They offer an integrated end-to-end service: developing, structuring finance, building and operating solar projects at commercial and utility scale. They work with partners to bring solar to their customers’ homes. They’re committed to making solar more accessible and attractive, via their own BIPV (building integrated PV) products or their investment into storage and diesel hybrid. All of their customers benefit from their experience in terms of engineering quality, financial stability and sheer breadth of deployment.
Solarcentury is in business for a purpose: to make a meaningful difference in the fight against climate change through the widespread adoption of solar power. They are a big believer in helping solar change their world for the better and contribute 5% of their net profits every year to the charity they founded, SolarAid, which aims to eradicate kerosene lamps from Africa by 2020.
And our business is global and growing, with offices in the UK, the Netherlands, Kenya, South Africa, Chile, Panama and Mexico; with representation in Germany, France and Spain.
For information about Solarcentury, see www.solarcentury.com.
