African Renewables #3

Renewvia Energy Corporation [website], headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, with offices in Kenya, Nigeria and Rwanda, is a global solar developer. Since its founding in 2008, Renewvia has designed, installed, owned and operated over 80 megawatts of power across the United States, Pacific Islands, South America and sub-Saharan Africa. Projects range from equipping large industrial farms with up to 60 MW of renewable energy to constructing 2.5 MW distributed rooftop solar arrays for industrial facilities and 50 kilowatt systems for small commercial buildings, along with hybrid and standalone solar microgrids of varying size in remote, hard-to-reach communities.

Management's Rural Microgrid Development and Operation Model is designed to scale reliable power in areas that are either unserved by conventional utilities or ineligible for grid extension. The company constructs standalone and hybrid solar photovoltaic and battery-powered plants that are designed to accommodate additional capacity from wind or other sources of electricity.

Project Examples [more: Link]

Kalobeyei Settlement and Town Solar Microgrids, Turkana County, Kenya

The second largest of Kenya's 47 counties, Turkana County also the poorest, where around 88 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty. In September 2019, Renewvia's Kenya team successfully commissioned two solar microgrids serving Kalobeyei Settlement and nearby Kalobeyei Town. As of November 6, 2019, Renewvia has successfully connected 351 households, businesses, schools and churches to the UNHCR-run Kalobeyei Settlement's 60.06 kW microgrid, with 119 at Kalobeyei Town's 20.13 kW facility.

USTDA Feasibility Study - 25 Solar Microgrids in Nigeria 

Through Power Africa, the U.S. Government-led partnership to reduce energy poverty, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency selected Renewvia to conduct a feasibility study for 25 new microgrid sites across the country totaling 5 MW. Renewvia successfully completed the project in 2018.

Chris Ebiware, country manager for Nigeria, has led an extensive Niger Delta Community technical assessment effort for 27 communities, resulting in an institutional development pipeline for Renewvia.

Uganda Solar Microgrid DevelopmentMubende District, UgandaSOLAR-BATTERY MICROGRIDRenewvia Energy Community MicrogridWith pre-development underway to construct four solar PV microgrid facilities in the central region of Uganda, Renewvia is actively working provide to over 100 kW of safe, reliable electricity to approximately 4,200 people living in agricultural communities in the Mubende District. All four microgrids will also be outfitted the Renewvia's proprietary mobile payment platform.