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REDAVIA, a global market leader of cost-effective, reliable rental solar power for businesses and communities, commissioned two minigrids in Isenzanya and Shitunguru, located in the Songwe region in western Tanzania. The two pioneering containers were financed by InfraCo Africa (part of PIDG).
Previously, both villages didn’t have access to power - a common situation in Tanzania with low electrification rates, leading to the usage of diesel or kerosene for lighting and other energy needs. This lack of energy led to delayed local development for residential applications (e.g. lights, 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) 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 payment system to connect households in Isenzanya and Shitunguru. These 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.”