Nigerian off grid impact investor All On and global solar developer Renewvia Energy Corporation have partnered to develop and operate solar mini grids that will bring clean energy and boost economic development in the Niger Delta.
As part of the agreement, All On has made a commitment of $1.2 million. The first two mini grids have been built and are already operating in the villages of Akipelai and Oloibiri. The mini grid in Oloibiri will also power the new Oloibiri Health for Life Medical Center and Knowledge Management Institute, one of the hub health facilities funded by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria under the flagship Oloibiri Health Program. The mini grid will support the program by providing reliable, consistent power, at a reasonable cost, to enable frontline healthcare workers to provide affordable, accessible and quality assured health care to Ogbia communities.
“We are happy to announce this partnership in line with our mission to increase off grid energy access to unserved and underserved communities in Nigeria with a focus on the Niger Delta,” says All On CEO, Wiebe Boer. “We are particularly pleased that one of the first mini grid projects under this partnership is supporting health care providers during this time of crisis,” he adds.
The Akipelai and Oloibiri solar mini grids use lithium ion battery storage to produce stable power in non-daylight hours and are designed to scale as individual and communal power demand increases, without any financial pressure on the community. Such mini grids can support over 400 households and multiple operations on the scale of small and medium-sized companies instantly and will accelerate economic activity in the community.
“Renewvia Energy is thrilled to partner with All On to bring reliable, clean energy to communities who need it most,” says Trey Jarrard, CEO, Renewvia Energy Corporation. “We have connected hundreds of households in Akipelai and Oloibiri to our mini grids, and we expect to see measurable economic benefits for these communities in the near future.”
