A public-private partnership in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has resulted in more than 600 healthcare facilities across the country being powered by solar energy.
These encompass 55 general reference hospitals and 558 health centres newly equipped with solar power.
The project between GoShop Energy and the government’s Health System Development Programme Management Unit (PDSS) started in 2022.
Its aim was to electrify 613 health centres across the DRC.
“These health centres, known as FOSA and supported by PDSS, are the pillars of healthcare access for thousands across the country, playing a crucial role in the health of both rural and urban communities.
“However, without electricity, their ability to provide safe and effective care after dark or to preserve vital medications, such as vaccines, was severely compromised,” said GoShop.
The projects cover several provinces across the DRC, including North Kivu, Maniema, Lomami, Sankuru, Upper Lomami, Kwango, Lualaba, Upper Katanga, South Ubangi, Kinshasa, Maindombe, Mongala and Tshuapa.
Solar kits designed to meet the needs of each healtchare facility in DRC
The technical composition for the health centres include:
- GoSolar photovoltaic panels with a capacity of 1,800kWc,
- BYD lithium batteries of 5kWh,
- Victron 3kVA charger converters,
- Victron MPPT 150/35 solar charge regulators,
- Victron Cerbo-GX control modules,
- Manual bypass inverters.
And for the general reference hospitals, the specifications include:
- GoSolar photovoltaic panels with a capacity of 9,000kWc,
- BYD lithium batteries of 25kWh,
- Victron 8kVA charger converters,
- Victron MPPT 250/85 solar charge regulators,
- Victron Cerbo-GX control modules,
- Manual bypass inverters.
Despite the challenges encountered in the field, such as difficult access because of road conditions, each solar kit installation “represented a step further towards improving healthcare and the well-being of the most vulnerable communities.”
DRC among seven countries in need of investment in energy for healthcare sector
A 2023 report by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) says that approximately $2.6 billion is needed to sustainably electrify health facilities across seven key countries in the Global South.
These are India, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Zambia, DRC and Kenya.
This is about half the total global investment required for health facility electrification, says SEforALL.
The report reveals that a total investment of $175-250 million has been made over the past seven years in the seven countries studied.
Most of this funding has been in the form of capital grants (approximately 95%) from donors.
“Factoring in the same level of investment, say $250m, over the next seven years, there will be a looming gap of at least $2.35 billion for health facility electrification by 2030,” says SEforALL.
Unlocking investment for metro-grid sector
According to the report, The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) has already partnered with the DRC government and other donors to unlock a planned $1bn worth of investment to support the metro-grid sector in DRC.
“Given the focus on dense urban areas where metro-grids are being installed, there could be an opportunity to build on the work that the government is doing to tender metro-grids and offer additional connection subsidies for health facilities connected to these systems.”
