Burundi set to follow Rwanda’s lead with 7.5MW PV power plant

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Gigawatt Global, the solar and social development company responsible for developing Rwanda’s first utility-scale PV power plant, has been awarded two grants to develop a solar project in neighbouring Burundi.

Only 4% of Burundi's population has residential access to electricity. The company hopes that the 7.5MW project will increase the country’s power generation capacity by 15%.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The two grants given to Gigawatt Global from Power Africa via the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and the Energy and Environment Partnership (EEP), total around US$1 million.

Gigawatt Global hopes to install the PV plant over 15ha in the Gitega region of Burundi. It is expected to generate electricity for around 60,000 households and cost around US$20 million.

Yosef Abramowitz, president of Gigawatt Global, said: “Our impact investment model is to strengthen developing nations, both economically and environmentally, by providing renewable energy sources where they are most needed. We plan to build 1,000 solar megawatts in Africa by 2020, thereby providing electricity to millions of households and institutions that are currently without the most basic of human needs.”

The grant from USTDA will be used to conduct a feasibility study for the technical and economic aspects of the project, as well as assessing the environmental and social impacts, and help secure the financing with necessary analytics.

Burundi currently only has 52MW of installed electrical capacity, 15.5MW of which is diesel generated.

Come Manirakiza, minister of energy and mines in Burundi, stated: “We embrace the development of renewable energy as a means of increasing Burundi’s electrical generation capacity, thereby stimulating economic growth and providing a range of opportunities for the Burundian people.”

The government of Burundi and Gigawatt Global hope the project will increase jobs and help further the country’s development. Gigawatt Global has partnered with the Polytechnic University of Gitega, NGO’s and the community to create a Corporate Social Responsibility program to help the community grow and learn about renewable energy.

“The Burundi Government’s good will, with the close cooperation and support of the U.S. and Dutch Embassies, has been crucial in advancing the country’s first utility-scale solar energy generation facility that addresses the crippling energy crisis and will directly contribute to the economic growth and stability of Burundi. We believe that this pioneering solar project can be the bellwether for further western investment in Burundi.”

Earlier this year Gigawatt Global and Norwegian firm Scatec Solar completed Rwanda's first utility-scale PV power plant, an 8.5MW grid-connected project that added 6% to country's generation capacity.

Read Next

September 12, 2025
Colombian energy supplier Celsia is seeking more than US$1.2 billion in investment to build wind and solar generation projects in Peru. 
September 12, 2025
German trade association BSW-Solar has called the German government for a simplified, standardised and more digitalised grid access for solar PV and energy storage operators.
September 12, 2025
ACME Venus Urja has secured INR3.8 billion (US$43 million) to develop and construct a solar-plus-storage project in Barmer, Rajasthan.
Premium
September 12, 2025
Vote Solar's Sean Garren tells PV Tech Premium that Georgia Power's latest IRP is 'skewed so heavily towards fossil fuels'.
September 11, 2025
Founder Group has won a RM10 million (US$2.3 million) engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contract for a 30MW solar plant in Malaysia.
September 11, 2025
German renewable energy developer ib vogt has signed a 70MW solar PV virtual power purchase agreement (vPPA) in Romania.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines