This lack of energy led to significantly delayed local development when it comes to residential applications (e.g. lights, phone charging, TV), public services (e.g. education, healthcare), service businesses (e.g. shops, restaurants) and productive businesses (e.g. welding, crops processing).

“Electricity gives women like me opportunities to make a contribution to the development of our communities,” said Potfar Hira Mwamlima, resident in Shitunguru.

The REDAVIA minigrid solution includes two solar containers with 89 kWp capacity each, complemented by two integrated lithium–ion energy storage devices (90 kVA / 165 kWh and 60 kVA /138 kWh respectively) to deliver a 24/7 high-quality power supply. As part of the solution, REDAVIA has set up an electricity distribution, metering and mobile payment infrastructure, including 10 km distribution lines each, 1000 energy meters and a payment system to connect households in Isenzanya and Shitunguru. These future-proofed minigrids have been planned and rolled out to enable local growth and to ensure everyone can benefit from electricity in the future.

“We are very proud to be an important component of Tanzania’s rural electrification roadmap, it is amazing to see the immediate positive impact that power has on people’s lives,” stated Erwin Spolders, CEO at REDAVIA. “Our financially viable business model enables the provision of cost-effective, reliable energy for local communities and businesses in the long run.”

Alex Katon, Executive Director at InfraCo Africa comments, “InfraCo Africa’s support for REDAVIA’s deployment of containerized solar power in rural Tanzania demonstrates our commitment to investing in innovative businesses to accelerate access to power.”

About REDAVIA
REDAVIA offers rental solar power for businesses and communities. The REDAVIA system is based on a pre-configured container model, including high-performance solar modules and electrical components. It is easy to ship, set up, scale and redeploy. Businesses and communities benefit from a cost-effective, reliable, clean energy solution without the need for upfront investment or technical skills, supporting the reduction of carbon emissions and increasing the impact on a sustainable society. www.redaviasolar.com

About InfraCo Africa
InfraCo Africa is part of the multilateral Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG). InfraCo Africa seeks to alleviate poverty by mobilizing private investment into infrastructure projects in sub-Saharan Africa’s poorest countries. It addresses the risks and costs of early-stage project development: funding teams of experienced developers and providing risk capital to those projects which need the financial commitment and leverage that InfraCo Africa can bring. www.infracoafrica.com

About PIDG
PIDG encourages and mobilizes private investment in infrastructure in the frontier markets of sub-Saharan Africa, south and south-east Asia, to help promote economic development and combat poverty. Since 2002, PIDG has supported 154 infrastructure projects to financial close and provided 222 million people with access to new or improved infrastructure. PIDG is funded by donors from seven countries (UK, Switzerland, Australia, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany) and the World Bank Group. www.pidg.org

Press Contact:

REDAVIA, Angelika Kempf
+49 89 2426 8869
a.kempf@redaviasolar.com

Finalists are invited to present their projects in the Knowledge Exchange Forum (KEF) where after the winner will be announced.  KEF will be held in Nairobi, Kenya on Tuesday 20 September 2016 at the Hilton hotel and the Director of Sales at Redavia, Manual Duggal will be presenting. Good luck Redavia!

To find out more information about Redavia and the EEP Project in the community space, please email contact@redaviasolar.com