A coalition of organisations has backed a plan to install 11 “solar-battery” mini grids in Lesotho which will have a combined generation capacity of 1.8MW. An announcement of the project on the website of the EU's EDFI Elecrifi organisation did not specify what battery storage capacity the mini-grids would have.
business
Jan. 17, 2022
OWN CORRESPONDENT
2 min read
Backing for solar-plus-storage mini grids in Lesotho
Solar-plus-storage mini grids
Story highlights
The mini-grids will be installed by the OnePower, US-based non-profit organisation out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The local power networks will offer clean electricity to customers for an “almost cost-reflective tariff”
The mini-grids will be installed by the OnePower, U.S.-based non-profit organisation out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and will reportedly supply power to 20 000 people and seven health centres via 7 300 new electricity connections.
The panels will generate up to 3.48GWh of electricity annually, according to European finance development institution (EDFI) the Electrification Financing Initiative (Electrifi), and will generate 100 jobs during construction and six permanent roles.
The local power networks will offer clean electricity to customers for an “almost cost-reflective tariff” of LSL5/kWh (€0.28) after PowerOne received help with its business plan from EU investment body, Get Invest.
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EDFI Electrifi, which said it contributed LSL75 million (€4.23 million) to the project in a mixture of a loan and investment in PowerOne stock, said the mini-grids would be mounted on solar trackers designed and built by an unspecified company in Lesotho and would also feature smart metres.
The EU-funded electrification body said the Renewable Energy Perfomance Platform (REPP) backed by the UK Government and managed by London-based financial services company, Camco Clean Energy had matched its equity and loan investment in a PowerOne project the former described as “Africa's second largest project-financed mini-grid transaction.” PV Magazine
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