US AGENCY GIVES $0.8M TO LAKE VICTORIA SOLAR PROJECT

The United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has given Rex Energy a grant of $818,000 to develop a 2MW solar mini-grid project for Tanzania’s Lake Victoria islands as part of the Power Africa project, which is aimed at increasing access to clean energy in sub-Saharan Africa.

The USTDA said the project will help to power 5,900 households and businesses in the Lake Victoria region.

USTDA director Leocadia Zak said the agency supports President Obama’s Power Africa initiative, which seeks to increase energy access and promote private sector investment in sub-Saharan Africa.

Rex Energy managing director Francis Kibhisa said the mini-grid system holds the key to rural electrification in Tanzania and the USTDA grant will help deliver pre-paid solar energy to the marginalised rural majority.

Transform rural Tanzania

“With this grant and technical support from MRIGlobal, Rex Energy complements the government’s efforts to transform rural Tanzania through solar power,” he said.

Rex Energy has selected MRIGlobal of Kansas city to carry out a feasibility study and a pilot project. Other US firms that will participate in the project are Homer Energy, Enphase Energy and SunEdison, which is a major solar systems producer and the official Power Africa private sector partner.

The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will provide expertise on renewable energy resource assessments, analysis and optimisation of the mini-grid design.

MRIGlobal chief executive officer Thomas Sack and his SunEdison Rural Electric Utility Company counterpart Cathy Zoi said the programme will improve lives and help grow the local economy.

“Solar hybrid mini-grids are the most cost-effective way to bring clean, reliable and affordable electricity to rural communities in Africa,” Ms Zoi said.

The East African