Off-grid | Solar | DRC

BUGARULA

  • Location:
    Idjwi Island
  • Type:
    Hybrid Solar Mini-grid
  • Size:
    20kWp + 40kWh
  • Connections:
    300
  • Status:
    Operational
  • Population:
    1500
  • Innovation:
    Access to energy + appliance financing + business incubation
  • Partner:
    Odyssey, GivePower, Shell Foundation. 

    About the Project

Equatorial Power’s very first project: a 20kWp Solar mini-grid with 40kWh lithium-ion storage. The project connected 303 households, businesses and institutions including schools and hospitals. The mini-grid was commissioned in December 2019 and provides 24/7 green affordable energy.

Through this project EP has worked with key local groups including the women’s group (UFIN), the Idjwi development group (CPR) and the Idjwi Civil Society to ensure inclusion during project development recruitment, implementation and operations. EP is working with the community to enable their socio-economic growth through the energy access; currently programmes under implementation include appliance financing including productive assets such as milling, training and support to local technicians to enable house wiring activities, customer user group to better understand the potential of energy.

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, this project has proven just how fundamental access to energy and clean water are for resilience and improving people’s lives.

Equatorial Power is preparing its scale-up to nearby communities on the island and beyond in DRC.