Energy in Rwanda

Energy use in Rwanda is undergoing rapid change at the beginning of the 21st century. The extent of grid electricity is limited and mainly concentrated near Kigali. Most of the country uses firewood as its main energy source. With its limited electrical infrastructure, Rwanda has a very high degree of renewable energy usage. Most of the country's electricity comes from hydropower.[1] Solar power produces over 7% of electricity in the country. The country is in the midst of a rapid expansion of its electrical grid and many new plants are proposed or under construction. Rwanda is planning to expand from 45 MW of grid power in 2006 to 563 MW in 2018 and may import as much as an additional 450 MW from neighboring countries. In addition, it is installing small solar units throughout the country to ensure electricity to buildings not connected to the national grid, or to help deal with power outages. Currently, the government plans to bring electricity access to 70% of the population by 2018, as opposed to 22% in December 2014.[2][3][4] Biomass is the most important energy source utilized through firewood and agricultural waste for cooking. In 2014, this represented 85% of Rwanda's energy use.[5] Peat from peat marshes in southwestern Rwanda will power two electrical plants. The first 15MW plant is expected online in 2015 with the second, a 80MW plant, expected in 2017.

Petroleum, mainly for transportation, represented 11% of Rwanda's power in 2014. Although Rwanda is thought to have crude oil and natural gas reserves near Lake Kivu, as of 2014, there was no production of these resources and demand was met by imports. KivuWatt project is an energy project to extract natural gas dissolved in Lake Kivu and use the extracted gas to generate electricity.[6] In 2016, the operational 25MW power plant is able to provide enough energy for 45,000 people in Rwanda. The ongoing expansion project is expected to add 26MW of generating capacity in its first phase, and eventually scale up to 100MW in the coming years.[7] The Kenya–Uganda–Rwanda Petroleum Products Pipeline would transport oil between these countries if it is built.

Electrical production accounted for 4% of energy use in the country in 2014, with 53% of electricity generated by hydropower. At the beginning of 2015, Rwanda's grid-connected power plants supplied 154MW.[4]

The use of off-grid solar power has increased as solar panel prices have fallen and many areas do not expect grid connections in the near future. The first utility-scale solar farm in Sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa is the 8.5MW plant at Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village, in the Rwamagana District, Eastern Province of Rwanda. It leased 20 hectares (49 acres) of land from the village which is a charity to house and educate Rwandan genocide victims. The plant uses 28,360 photovoltaic panels and produces 6% of total electrical supply of the country. The project was built with U.S., Israeli, Dutch, Norwegian, Finnish and UK funding and expertise.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Solar power stations to supply Rwandan schools with electricity, PANA, 6 October 2011
  2. ↑ Feng, Jun. "Rwanda: Small solar units to help expand electricity access - East & Horn Africa". Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  3. ↑ Nyabarongo power plant completion delays frustrate govt, The New Times, KENNETH AGUTAMBA, August 31, 2014
  4. 1 2 Rwanda Energy Minister to Face Parliamentarians Over Delayed Energy Projects, Eugene Kwibuka, The New Times, Feb 10, 2015
  5. ↑ Rwanda Prepares to Switch on Africa's First Peat Fired Power Plant, Reports KT Press, PRNewswire, October 24, 2014
  6. ↑ "Killer lake's renewable potential". www.wartsila.com/twentyfour7. Twentyfour7. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  7. ↑ "Killer lake's renewable potential". www.wartsila.com/twentyfour7. Twentyfour7. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  8. ↑ In Rwanda, Israelis and Americans launch East Africa’s first commercial solar field, Jeruslaem Post, February 6, 2015
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