An ambitious program that will roll out 300,000 small solar power systems in the West African nation of Togo commenced this week.
Togo is one of the smallest countries in Africa and has a population of 7.8 million.
According to USAID, electricity in Togo is primarily supplied through fossil-fuel based thermal plants and imports from neighbouring Nigeria and Ghana. The country has little in the way of renewable energy capacity aside from hydropower.
USAID says Togo’s national electrification rate reached 27% by 2013, so the vast majority of the population is without access to mains grid electricity. Even in urban areas, the electrification rate in 2013 was only 35%.
As elsewhere, those without access to mains electricity rely heavily on expensive, dangerous and polluting fossil fuels for light and other applications.
Like many other African countries, something that Togo has in abundance is sun, with solar irradiation levels of 1,700-2,100 kWh/m2 a year.
Earlier this year, UK company BBOXX was awarded a project by Togo’s government to roll out 300,000 BBOXX home solar power systems across the country over the next five years as part of a rural electrification scheme.
AllAfrica reports the company launched its operations this week in the rural town of Awagomè, which is 166 kilometres north of the capital Lomé.
The BBOXX product consists of a battery unit with 6 DC outlets and 2 USB ports, plus a 50W roof mounted solar panel. The systems can be purchased under a 3 year payment program, with payments made via a mobile money platform ( 66% of the population has access to a mobile phone).
Part of the solution includes remote monitoring, which enables the operator to view the status of the system and provide troubleshooting services and advice. Data is transmitted via 2G cell networks, with an SMS fallback for areas with poor signal.
BBOXX says it provide its customers with a full service, including replacing or upgrading the battery if required.
The system has been in use elsewhere and to date, the company says 4 gigawatt-hours of clean electricity has been generated by its customers, who have collectively saved USD $2.4 million on energy. Additionally, more than 40,000 tonnes of CO2 has been avoided.
BBOXX has won multiple awards for its solar solution and was named a finalist in the prestigious 2018 Zayed Future Energy Prize.
“We are thrilled to receive such recognition for the impact we have made by providing access to reliable energy to communities in an off-grid setting,” said Mansoor Hamayun, CEO of BBOXX. “Our smart solar home systems are delivering power for lights, home appliances and smart phones – making a real difference to people’s lives.”
BBOXX has set a goal of delivering its services to 20 million people around the world by 2020.
It looks like the company will be operating in less than optimal conditions. There’s been significant unrest in the country over recent months, with Togolese citizens taking to the streets demanding an end to the country’s dictatorship.
About Michael Bloch
RSS - Posts
Speak Your Mind