- REPP is financing the development of 32 rural solar mini-grids in Sierra leone.
- The solar PV systems will provide 1.3MW for 80,000 people.
- The mini-grids will power health facilities in the communities.
The British government, via the Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP), is set to provide a $1.25 million loan to implement a solar PV powered rural electrification project in Sierra Leone. The loans will enable Energicity’s to rehabilitate and construct 32 rural solar mini-grids in Port Loko, Kambia, Karene and Moyamba. The REPP notes that the mini-grids will have a cumulative capacity of 1.3MW, providing power to about 80,000 people.
The deployment of the solutions is part of the “Moyamba” project, which aims to increase health systems capacity and strengthen resilience to climate change. “As part of the agreement with the government, Energicity’s project company (Power Leone) is required to provide a minimum daily amount of free electricity to community health centres,” REPP says.
Energicity has stated that it estimates the mini-grids to reduce emissions by up to 2,800 tons of CO2 per year. The clean energy developer is also deploying about 2MW of mini-grid projects in 20 rural communities in three regions of Benin and Nigeria via its subsidiary Atanya Solar which already has an installed capacity of 1.7 MW.