Featured in From the ground up – 04-2024

Minigrids, maximum effect

The World Bank has committed $1.4 billion to finance solar minigrids in 29 countries. A philanthropic initiative backed by $1 billion in commitments from the Rockefeller, Ikea, and Bezos foundations is also working in seven low-income countries to develop such small PV networks.

By

William Driscoll

09 Apr 2024

This 1.3 MW hybrid solar-storage-diesel project sends power through a distribution system with 46 km of lines to homes and businesses. It also powers street lighting in the Ndosho neighborhood of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. | Photo: Nuru

Only 3% of households in the Ndosho neighborhood of Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), had access to electricity before minigrid development company Nuru added a 1.3 MW network in 2020. Now Nuru reports that around one in six of the local households are connected to its minigrid which also powers schools, water …

Subscribe to get access to this content

Purchase a digital or print subscription to read this article in full. Choose the best subscription for you.