A US solar energy provider plans to grow its Africa operations by adding facilities in Nigeria that will serve more than 30,000 people in the oil-rich, but electricity-poor, Niger Delta region. Deployment of grids backed by battery storage systems is ongoing, with a full launch slated for next year.
Atlanta-based Renewvia Energy recently raised $3 million from debt investors for one phase of the planned expansion, CEO Trey Jarrard told Semafor. It had previously tapped a Nigerian government grant tied to the World Bank-led project to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
Solar minigrids have presented African households and businesses with a viable alternative to unreliable fossil-fuel-powered national grids strained by under-investment. Imports of Chinese solar equipment are at a new high, suggesting an enthusiastic take up. Nigeria, where about three in 10 people live without access to electricity, has introduced a $750 million fund to help private companies connect 17.5 million residents to a power source.
