Why solar in Africa? A simple reminder

Imagine you live in an off-grid community in Rwanda. Your daughter, son, or even yourself fail to do their assigned homework or tasks due to electricity's inaccessibility. No lights, not internet, no information.

Imagine you have a business. In the late afternoon, when your customer leaves work and is available to become a purchaser, your business is in the dark because of another power cut. Your business sign can no longer be seen, your music doesn’t play and none of your devises work.

Whether you are a household, or a business; in this fast moving world where everything is digital, you are in a disadvantage. Everybody needs a reliable supply of energy for lighting, food storage, cooking, amusement and information in one way or another.

And yet… the household electrification rate in sub-Saharan Africa is the lowest in the world (Adegoke, 2018), with staggering numbers such as only 9% electrification in RDC, 11% in Burundi, 1% in South Sudan and even in our home country where still 50% of the population has not access to electricity. (International Energy Agency). It has become a global priority, set by the UN (Sustainable development goal 7) to provide "Affordable and clean energy" that aims to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services by the year 2030. Africa, has both the biggest delay and the best solution through solar energy.

Not only does solar energy help battle greenhouse gas emissions, which primarily cause air pollution and global climate change but also replaces the old utility based grid that relies on finite resources and an aging infrastructure, resulting in frequent price fluctuation and power cuts that hurt people’s savings and balance sheets.

Consequently, businesses go solar as a means of cutting electricity expenses and decreasing dependence on unpredictable costs. But also, many companies go solar to target potential customers that support the idea of buying from an environmentally, and forward looking, business.

Klean NRG has helped multiple businesses in Rwanda and throughout Eastern Africa as they make that transition to solar. We help our customers before, during and after the installation. Clarifying the financials, ensuring the safe and timely installation, and also providing maintenance services to ensure they get the most out of one of the best things Africa has to offer… THE SUN.