Eswatini launches tender for solar minigrid project

Eswatini has launched tender for development of a solar minigrid project. The project aims to electrify the Bulimeni community, which comprises 92 households in the Shiselweni region of southern Eswatini.

The tender seeks interest from private minigrid developers to design, construct, operate, and maintain the dubbed Bulimeni Solar PV-Battery minigrid project. Operation period for the energy project is 20 years.

The developer must provide at least 55% of the capital expenditure required for the project. The Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA) will partially fund the project through a grant from the Global Environment Facility, under the Africa Minigrids Program (AMP).

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AMP initiative

Closing date for applications is August 23 this year. This project is part of the broader AMP initiative, which includes 21 projects across different African countries aimed at enhancing energy access and sustainability through the deployment of minigrids.

The current solar capacity as of the end of 2023, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is 11 MW. Minigrids are in the early stages of development in Eswatini. The country currently has one operational minigrid—a 35 kW, 200 kWh solar system in Mvundla, Manzini region, which serves 21 homes and two churches.

Eswatini is investing in renewable energy infrastructure and financing for new installations. Governmental initiatives, alongside private sector investments, are focusing on harnessing Eswatini’s abundant renewable energy potential, including hydroelectricity, solar power and biomass. The government is also actively promoting energy efficiency measures to reduce energy demand and consumption across residential, public service, industrial and agricultural sectors.

These efforts not only aim to secure Eswatini’s energy landscape but also provide significant climate action benefits. They align with the country’s climate pledge under the Paris Agreement, or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), which lays out Eswatini’s strategy to help limit the global average temperature rise to below 1.5°C.