Hakwata village in Zimbabwe launched a 200-kW solar microgrid system earlier this month that will power a health clinic, school, shops and homes. In Nigeria, plans to build a solar minigrid to serve 1,000 customers in the village of Duduguru were announced.
“The microgrid will not only bring clean power to the Hakwata community but also sets the example for similar renewable energy projects across the country designed to bridge the energy access gap in remote areas, providing rural communities with reliable and clean energy”, said Ayodele Odusola, Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
The $614,000 Hakwata project was funded by Climate Adaption Water and Energy Programme (CAWEP), a United Nations program designed to help rural communities adapt and become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.