THE country’s wind energy potential will be ascertained in December after 3E, a European-based energy firm, has submitted its report to the Ministry of Infrastructure.

Early last year, the ministry commissioned a study to provide a roadmap for generation of wind energy in the country. An 18-month contract was penned in January 2009, including the supply and installation of wind masts within the country.

In an e-mail sent to The New Times on Wednesday, Niyibizi Mbanzabigwi, an energy sector expert in the ministry, noted that the terms of the contract did not permit the release of partial results from the ongoing works but pointed to December 23 as the date for the final report.

"The last report on wind energy potential that we received concerned only six measurement months (November 2009 to May 2010),” Mbanzabigwi said, adding that the contract bars them from releasing details of the intermediate reports
"The measurement period will be completed in November 2010 and the final report will be presented on 23rd December 2010.”

The ongoing study has been assessing, among others, the behaviour of wind throughout the year, in addition to determining whether the wind strength is sufficient for exploitation.

In June 2009, Yussuf Uwamahoro, the coordinator of the energy sector in Mininfra, told The New Times that Rwanda "might have good potential in wind energy” but accurate and reliable information was lacking. Data from the country’s airports and meteological stations is considered inadequate.

Rwanda currently heads the East Africa Community (EAC) as best business destination and, it needs more energy. Recently, the World Economic Forum (WEF), in its most recent Global Competitive Index (GCI) report, ranked Rwanda top in the bloc.

This is expected to influence investment decisions even as demand for electricity by businesses and households is rising.

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