USAID Malawi Power Africa Energy Adviser, Andrew Spahn, on Tuesday listed names of Malawian and international companies that qualified for a total of 2 million US Dollars in results-based grant financing through UsAid’s Solar Home System Programme.
The companies selected from a group of 20 companies include Solar Works, Vitalite, Yellow Solar and Zuwa Energy.
Spahn said the project is designed to deploy up to 150,000 solar home systems across the country, and they are working with several stakeholders to allow solar systems to be installed in many households in the country.
UsAid Southern Africa Regional Energy Officer, Ashley King, said the project would increase the number of Malawians that enjoy access to electricity.
She said compared to neighbouring countries such as Zambia and Tanzania, the Malawian solar market had been slow to mature.
Chief Director in the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, Chimwemwe Banda said, considering that only 4% of Malawians in rural areas have access to electricity, the programme would boost the number of people that have access to electricity by 2030
Report by: Thandiwe Mzumara.