NOTS roots for solar to boost access to energy in rural areas

Government targets to extend electricity coverage to at least 70 per cent of the country by 2018 from the current 24.3 per cent. To achieve this objective, the government is partnering with different private power producers, especially those providing off-grid electricity to rural communities. In fact, off-grid power is expected to contribute 22 per cent of the total energy required to ensure that 70 per cent of population access electricity by 2018. Business Times’ Steven Muvunyi caught up with Hart Bartman, the chief entrepreneur of NOTS Impact Enterprises, one of the companies that signed a deal with the Energy Development Corporation Limited (EDCL) to supply off grid electricity to boost access to electricity across the country. Tell us more about NOTS? NOTS is a social enterprise that provides people in Africa with solar power that suit their needs. We started in Mali six years ago, and opened shop in Rwanda in February 2014. Given the difficulties we were encountering in Mali, we wanted to have presence in East Africa. That’s why we decided to come to Rwanda. Why should one use renewable energy sources, like solar power? Solar energy is safer and healthier. Most importantly, it is affordable compared to kerosene. This therefore helps users save and lead better lives since they will no longer be exposed to dangerous carbon fumes. That’s why we are encouraging Rwandans to embrace solar power. This is however happening at a slow pace as only one per cent of the local population is currently using solar power while in other East African countries uptake is a bit higher at about 5 per cent. Therefore, we need to increase sensitisation about renewable and solar power, in particular to bring more people on board and spur penetration of solar products that is currently very low. The low uptake of solar is mainly due to the fact that people are not aware of the benefits, and because some of the solar products on the market are expensive. What are you doing to increase awareness about solar products? First of all, there will be a big government campaign to mobilise people to embrace solar power. This will mainly be during the monthly community work ‘Umuganda’ where demonstrations about the products will be conducted and people given an opportunity to ask questions. But most notably, we have partnered with MTN under a deal, where our products will be co-branded by the firm. Remember, many people don’t know about the solar products on the market. Those that know are a bit hesitant because it is new to them. Therefore, we think it’s important to co-brand since MTN is a well-known brand. We are going to use 3,000 of the firm’s mobile money agents to sell and distribute the lamps. Under the deal MTN, people will be able to use the mobile money to buy lamps on credit. The agents will start distributing our products in October. You said most people don’t have money to pay for solar products. How much do NOTS solar products cost, particularly for people in rural areas? We have a range of different products. The small lamp cost about Rwf8,000, and the lamp that can charge mobile phones and radio, which is the our most popular product, is at Rwf29,000. The most expensive lamp goes for Rwf59,000. People can pay in full or in installments over a period of two years. This system makes our products very affordable. For now, we import products, but we will start assembling solar products here in Rwanda in partnership with Positivo BGH starting next year. We hope that this will enhance affordability. Besides, the partnership with Positivo will also enable Rwanda to export solar products. With the approach we have adopted, we will be able to provide 940,000 families with solar home systems between now and 2018. The government is promoting a green policy. How will you support this initiative apart from providing solar power solutions? First of all, we will develop a system to collect and recycle kerosene lamps and batteries. We will work together with Steel Rwanda so that people do not throw the lamps anywhere in the environment. For the solar batteries, they have to be replaced every five years. So, we are working on a mechanism where expired batteries will be deposited at given areas and later collected. They will then be recycled by a Belgium company. So to make the whole system sustainable, users will bring an old battery to get a new one because we want to avoid improper waste disposal. Our products have a two-year warranty, if a product does not function properly, we replace it. In partnership with SNV, we have a programme to train unemployed youth as salespeople and technicians of the solar products. Therefore, besides assisting the agents, they will also provide maintenance services. How did you come up with the “bye bye agatadowa” programme? Though solar power is very good, only a small percentage of the population is using it. So when I learnt about the “bye bye nyakatsi” campaign last year and how successful it was, I got inspired and came up with the “bye bye agatadowa” idea. To provide people with access to energy, we don’t need a technological breakthrough. All ingredients are available…Though people are using dangerous kerosene lamps. That’s why we have, together with the government, designed a programme which will provide people with safer and healthy electricity. By implementing the “bye bye agatadowa” Rwanda has made a big step forward, taking the lead in renewable energy in Africa. How is renewable energy contributing to governments’ efforts to achieve universal access to power? The government was initially planning to reach 100 per cent access by connecting houses to the grid. But that’s expensive especially in a country like Rwanda, with the hilly landscape. The capacity is much bigger than somebody can afford. So the big advantage of off-grid solar is that you can provide each household with the system that is catered to the needs of those households. You give them a small system which is cheaper or you give them a larger system and we have a moderate system so that you can start with one lamp and then if you need more, you add battery capacity.

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NOTS roots for solar to boost access to energy in rural areas