Rwanda has signed a $30 million deal for a consortium of three companies to build and maintain a 10 megawatts (MW) solar energy plant in the central African country.
Rwanda's small economy has expanded rapidly over the past decade but it has been hampered by scarce and expensive energy supply, with only 16 percent of the population receiving electricity from the 120 MW the country produces.
The government's target is to gradually tap 215 MW from peat, 310 MW from geothermal, 320 MW from hydro power, and 300 MW from methane gas, among other sources. With 1,000 MW, power accessibility could reach 70 per cent of the population in 2018.
The deal with Goldsol II - a consortium of TMM Renewables, a South Africa-based company, Gesto Energy Africa based in Malta and 3E Power Solar, a local firm - involves the development, financing, construction, ownership, operation and maintenance of a 10 MW solar PV plant in the Kayonza district in the eastern province of Rwanda.
"We are growing much faster than the energy we have," Valentine Rugwabiza, chief executive of the Rwanda Development Board, said on Thursday when the deal was signed.
"This is very important for business, it is important for rural areas, when people have access to electricity it is the most important way to transform the society."
Rwanda signs $30 million deal for 10 MW solar energy plant
Rwanda has signed a $30 million deal for a consortium of three companies to build and maintain a 10 megawatts (MW) solar energy plant in the central African country.
Rwanda's small economy has expanded rapidly over the past decade but it has been hampered by scarce and expensive energy supply, with only 16 percent of the population receiving electricity from the 120 MW the country produces.
The government's target is to gradually tap 215 MW from peat, 310 MW from geothermal, 320 MW from hydro power, and 300 MW from methane gas, among other sources. With 1,000 MW, power accessibility could reach 70 per cent of the population in 2018.
The deal with Goldsol II - a consortium of TMM Renewables, a South Africa-based company, Gesto Energy Africa based in Malta and 3E Power Solar, a local firm - involves the development, financing, construction, ownership, operation and maintenance of a 10 MW solar PV plant in the Kayonza district in the eastern province of Rwanda.
"We are growing much faster than the energy we have," Valentine Rugwabiza, chief executive of the Rwanda Development Board, said on Thursday when the deal was signed.
"This is very important for business, it is important for rural areas, when people have access to electricity it is the most important way to transform the society."
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