The U.S.-led Power Africa initiative announced US$2.6M (€2.2M) in subsidies for nine sub-Saharan Africa solar energy companies, including one in Mozambique.
The beneficiary is Solar Works which will electrify 92 rural healthcare facilities in Mozambique’s Sofala province. To ensure the sustainability of the systems beyond the grant implementation period, Solar Works will cover operational and maintenance costs of the solar energy systems for five years.
Lack of maintenance is one of the main reasons why many systems become inoperative shortly after they are activated.
Also read: Mozambique: Growth rate of 2.1 per cent forecast for 2021
The communiqué does not specify how much will be allocated to the Mozambican company, but states that all the subsidies to be distributed in sub-Saharan Africa will benefit 288 health units.
Nearly 60 percent of all healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa have no access to electricity, and of those that do, only 34 percent of hospitals and 28 percent of health clinics have reliable, 24-hour access, the initiative says in a statement.
Source: Lusa via Club of Mozambique
