Sector: Renewable Energy

In portfolio since: 2016

Location: Kenya

Over 600 million people lack access to electricity in Africa, of which 80% live in rural areas. Extending the grid to connect these people has been slow, is costly and often uneconomic given the low population density. Solar home systems have been the first wave of offering affordable energy access, however their capacity is limited. In contrast, micro-grids offer grid-quality electricity with the ability to plug in a variety of different appliances. With over 40 micro-grids built in East Africa, PowerGen is considered a leader in the segment.

PowerGen facilitates access to energy, which is fundamental to improving quality of life and is a key imperative for economic development and in providing basic services linked to health, education and communications. Also, solar-powered energy is 30-50% more affordable than kerosene lamps or diesel generation, much cleaner and safer to use, and more climate friendly.