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President Adama Barrow of The Gambia will today launch the country’s first solar green mini-grid (GMG) plant at the Nyamanarr Village.
The Gambia’s first solar green mini-grid electrification project is being executed by subsidiaries of the Unique Group: Unique Energy and Unique Solutions under a co-funding grant facility of $282,902 from the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency-ECREEE funded by USAID.
More than $300,000 have already been committed to the project by the subsidiaries of the Unique Group to begin The Gambia’s initiative of exploring opportunities of “greening1” its power sector to promote a more sustainable economy.
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According to the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, energy access in The Gambia stands around 40% countrywide (average 12% rural) and installed capacity is only 102MW, with more than 98.5% powered by fossil fuel (mainly HFO), resulting in one of the highest consumer tariffs – USD0.28/kWh in the West African region.
The Gambian government is seeking to implement a Green Mini-grids Enabling Environment Programme in order to expand energy access for 60% of the 1.91 million population in the country.
In particular, the government seeks to convert and scale-up the current existing diesel-powered multi-functional platforms (MFPs) and other HFO power plants into Green (hybrid) Mini-Grids, in addition to other off-grid solutions.
Powered by solar, the GMG is expected to serve the needs of communities too distant to be economically connected to the national grid. Unique Energy and Unique Solutions are leveraging the expansive potential of renewable mini-grids that are increasingly becoming cheaper and greener than ever.
Group CEO of the Unique Group, Papa Yusupha Njie, told IT Edge News from Banjjul, that the Group “remains committed to enhancing the quality of lives of Gambians and bringing affordable solutions to millions of Africans.”
With this project, the Group is affirming faith that Gambians can access “affordable, reliable and clean energy,” Njie added.
The Unique Group is one of The Gambia’s most diversified business corporations with an outstanding reputation for exceptional and innovative service delivery over the past 20 years.
The Group operates in The Gambia, Liberia, Senegal, and the United States of America through its various subsidiaries in diverse business operations.
IMAGE: Pan African Visions
