Togo President Starts Solar Micro-Grid Built by BBOX and EDF

LOME (Capital Markets in Africa) – Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe switched on a solar-powered micro-grid that will reach a village of 300 households, the latest phase of a project which aims to supply 60,000 people in the West African nation with electricity.

A venture including London-based BBOX Ltd. and Electricite de France SA built the network. It will feed enough power for the rural community of Sikpe Afidegnon in the south to run streetlights, households, schools and small shops, according to a statement on Thursday from the companies. The system is run on a grid developed by General Electric Co. and BBOX’s solar systems.

The government of Gnassingbe has a target to electrify half the population by next year through the roll-out of solar equipment, mini-grids and the extension of the main power network. That’s up from 27 percent in 2013. Venture-capital backed BBOX is active in 35 countries from Pakistan to Rwanda, where it has distributed more than 150,000 solar systems, according to its website.

Source: Bloomberg Business News