DAKAR (January 29, 2024) - The United States Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announced the award of $1.1 million in grants to local solar technology companies and renewable energy developers to increase access to solar solutions, boost the productivity of small businesses operating in off-grid areas, and enhance the livelihoods of rural communities in Senegal. The grants are part of USAID’s efforts to expand access to clean energy while improving the resilience of climate-sensitive economic sectors through climate change adaptation measures.
Through the Scaling Up Renewable Energy (SURE) project, USAID will provide the following:
• Up to $375,000 in grants to solar technology companies Ibriz, FlexNRJ, and BONERGIE, to expand access to solar water pumps for women in three regions: Niayes (Louga, Saint-Louis), Casamance (Kolda, Sedhiou, and Ziguinchor) and Eastern Senegal (Tambacounda, Kedougou). This initiative aims to empower more women farmers, enhance livelihoods, and create jobs in rural areas.
• Up to $475,000 in grants to renewable energy developers, Tysilio and SolarX, supporting their efforts to expand the use of solar solutions in agriculture, fisheries, and commercial and industrial ventures. The grants will help local financiers develop strong relationships with renewable energy project developers and their customers, invest in renewable energy projects, and create financial products that respond to the needs of the energy sector.
• Up to $290,000 in grants to Kossam SDE, Jokosun, and Africa Green Tec to support energy-as-a-service models in solar cooling, electric-powered transportation, and other solar applications for small businesses. The “energy-as-a-service” models allow buyers to avoid purchasing large expensive energy-generation equipment and instead allow them to purchase only the energy separately, opening the market to rural and coastal customers (typically farmers’ and fishers’ associations) who might otherwise have been shut out due to high costs.
“As a climate-friendly technology, solar power not only enables Senegal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it helps change the lives of rural communities,” said USAID Mission Director Alyssa Leggoe. “In partnership with the Government of Senegal and the private sector, USAID is helping improve agricultural productivity for small farmers, increase rural incomes particularly for women, and foster innovation that contributes to the prosperity and resilience of rural communities.”
Over the past few years, the falling cost of solar and battery equipment and new business models, such as consumer financing and pay-as-you-go, have made off-grid appliances more affordable. The SURE approach will mobilize an additional $1.4 million in private capital – with half of the funds raised by grantees. Through the SURE Senegal program, USAID is helping small business owners, particularly women in rural areas, gain access to these technologies to have a more stable power supply, reduce their electricity costs and boost their productivity, competitiveness, and incomes.
For more information on SURE, visit Scaling Up Renewable Energy in Senegal | Global Climate Change (climatelinks.org)
About USAID
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) promotes and demonstrates American values of democracy and its vision of a free, peaceful, and prosperous world. Together with our Senegalese partners, USAID/Senegal provides assistance that saves lives, expands economic growth, provides education opportunities, strengthens governance and civil society, and supports Senegal’s national development plan, the Plan Sénégal Emergent. +221 33 879 4000 ; usaid-senegal@usaid.govwww.usaid.gov/senegal