CRONIMET Mining Power Solutions GmbH and MOSTE have signed a deal with FUNAE to supply Chiolame Island with energy.
FUNAE is a public institution promoting energy access in regions where the national grid does not reach, developing the country’s largest pre-paid solar mini-grid on Chiloane Island in Sofala Province.
“We’re excited to implement this electrification project on Chiloane Island” said David Robinson, head of business development for CRONIMET.
The solar mini-grid will be the country’s first privately developed and financed mini-grid, and is expected to generate up to 200kWp of solar power that will electrify the island’s households, public institutions, commercial enterprises and water pumps.
“This mini-grid will be transformative for the island’s residents and will serve as a scalable rural electrification model for Mozambique, where more than 18 million people currently have no access to electricity,” said Robinson.
The island located in the East Indian Ocean approximately one kilometre from mainland has an estimated population of 3 000 inhabitants.
Currently having no access to energy, the residents rely primarily on car batteries to meet their energy requirements.
Due to this lack of electricity, the Island’s fishermen cannot produce their own ice to cool their catch sufficiently to be able to bring it to the point of sale.
With the electricity produced by the solar mini-grid, island residents will be able to produce their own ice, which will have an immediate economic impact on the entire community.
CRONIMET, MOTSE and FUNAE will form a consortium to develop the mini-grid as a public private partnership.
The consortium partners expect that the Chiloane pilot project will demonstrate the viability of privately financed and operated pre-paid solar mini-grids in Mozambique, launching a new mini-grid market with the potential to provide new energy access to more than 5 million people.
Upon successful implementation of the Chiloane Island mini-grid, the consortium expects to develop a portfolio of 60 or more mini-grids across Mozambique.
CRONIMET Mining Power Solutions GmbH is a German-based renewable energy company founded in 2013 that develops, builds, finances, owns and operates utility scale solar PV power plants and mini-grids across sub-Saharan Africa.
In just a few years, CRONIMET has become one of the leading solar photovoltaic (PV) developers and independent power producers in Southern Africa, with operating PV plants and projects under development in Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and several other African countries.
