- A multinational effort to bring solar power to Burundi has been realized with the commercial operation of the country’s first-ever solar farm.
- The pioneering 7.5 MW solar PV plant has increased Burundi’s generation capacity by over 10%, and is the country’s first substantial energy generation project to go online in over three decades.
- A land-locked and densely populated country in East Africa, Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world with more than 70 percent of the population living in poverty. Read more
The plant near the village of Mubuga supports international efforts to increase renewables and climate finance, especially for the world’s most vulnerable communities.
The six-year process of building Burundi’s first solar plant was led by Gigawatt Global, an award- winning green energy developer and independent power producer for Africa. Financing for the construction of the project was provided via a consortium including pan-African private equity investor Inspired Evolution, the UK government-funded Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP), and Gigawatt Global. The construction loans are being refinanced by the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).
Additional support for the project was provided directly and indirectly from the Energy and Environment Partnership (EEP – a fund set up by Finland, the UK and Austria), the Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries (BIO), Trinity International has advised the Gigawatt Global and Inspired Evolution equity teams since 2017. Engineering, procurement and construction services were provided by French firm Voltalia, and political risk re-insurance is provided by DFC.
Gigawatt Global CEO Josef Abramowitz said: “We thank our impact investors and strategic partners, as well as the Burundi government, for joining forces to accomplish this historic milestone on the road to climate justice and fulfilling many of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.”
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
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