UK-based off-grid clean energy specialist BBOXX is partnering on projects in southern Africa with DC Go, a provider of affordable off-grid electrification.
BBOXX will tap DC Go’s knowledge of the off-grid market in Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland, where both firms believe there are an estimated 4.6 million people without access to reliable electricity.
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The firms plan to apply their model to both rural and urban environments in the region, particularly informal settlements or ‘townships’ where many residents use dangerous illegal grid connections to power their homes. BBOXX and DC Go hope to offer solar-powered micro-grid technology as a safer and sustainable solution for these communities.
BBOXX will provide its solar home systems and cloud-based technology platform Pulse to DC Go, which will distribute and sell products via a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model to customers in the region.
Mansoor Hamayun, CEO and co-founder of BBOXX, said: “Southern Africa is home to many millions of people without access to reliable electricity. This is a serious challenge and will require a concerted effort to overcome. Our vision is to harness the power of pioneering data and technology to generate sustainable economic development by providing the on-grid experience to communities that are in an off-grid setting.”
Greg Midlane, managing director and co-founder of DC Go, added: “The Government of South Africa has acknowledged the role that off-grid systems can play in achieving its target of ensuring that all formal households have access to electricity by 2025. This recognition of the value of microgrid and solar home systems is hugely encouraging and reinforces our view that this is the most viable solution for underserviced households in both rural and urban areas.”
BBOXX recently signed a deal with the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to bring clean power to 2.5 million citizens across the African country by 2020, via off-grid solar kits and mini-grids.