Rwanda’s 8.5 MW solar plant, designed by Gigawatt Global, Norfund, and Scatec Solar, quickly increased the country’s generation capacity by 6% and powers over 15,000 homes. Completed in just a year, the $23.7 million project features 28,360 panels that track the sun, improving efficiency by 20%. The plant, located near Lake Mugesera and built on Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village land, created 350 local jobs and supported Rwanda’s goal of providing electricity to half its population. Financed by an international consortium and supported by Barack Obama’s Power Africa initiative, it serves as a model for rapid renewable energy projects in Africa.
“Arise, shine for your light has come,” declares a sign at the entrance of East Africa’s inaugural major solar power farm.
Rwanda’s 8.5 MW solar plant is designed to resemble the shape of the African continent from a bird’s-eye view. “Right now we’re in Somalia,” jokes Twaha Twagirimana, the plant supervisor, during a tour of the 17-hectare site.
The $23.7 million (15.6 million pounds) solar field showcases renewable energy’s growing affordability and agility. The project moved from contract signing to construction to connection in just a year, surpassing expectations for project completion speed in Africa. The breakneck speed of the enterprise was propelled by a clause in the deal, which required completion within a few months. “My team and I did not sleep for six months,” says Chaim Motzen, co-founder of Gigawatt Global.
Located amid Rwanda’s green hills, near Lake Mugesera, 60 kilometers east of Kigali, the plant’s 28,360 solar panels tilt to track the sun, enhancing efficiency by 20% compared to stationary panels. The panels were sourced from China, while the inverters and transformers came from Germany.
Construction created 350 local jobs and increased Rwanda’s generation capacity by 6%, providing power to over 15,000 homes. This is vital for an economy striving to supply electricity to half its population by 2017. Rwanda’s electricity access rate rose from 6% in 2008 to 18%, with a target to connect nearly three-quarters of households by 2017.
Twagirimana, one of five full-time staff on-site, noted Rwanda’s urgent need for energy. “In 2013, they only had 110 megawatts. They wanted solar to increase capacity.” At project inception, approximately 40% of the 110 megawatts were from diesel, which was insufficient for a population of 12 million people.
The government supported a joint bid by Gigawatt Global, Norfund, and Scatec Solar, under Barack Obama’s Power Africa initiative. Construction began in February 2014 and concluded by July. “It’s the fastest project in Africa,” said Twagirimana. The project was also financed by an international consortium of partners including the FMO, a Dutch development bank, the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund, and KLP.
In its first year, the plant produced an estimated 15 million kilowatt hours, feeding power to a substation 9 kilometers away. Local communities have mixed views, with some neighbors believing that a direct energy supply would be cheaper. Twagirimana clarified, “We sell to the utility. Even our building gets power from the grid.” The solar field can be monitored remotely via the internet, linked to a central server in Oslo.
The plant’s location on land owned by the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village, which supports Rwanda’s vulnerable children, provides significant income for the village. The village director, Jean-Claude Nkulikiyimfura, praised the project’s rapid completion and its benefits. Some village youth received training at the solar site, with one working on the project. Additional partnerships aim to produce solar panels for 250,000 homes.
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