EM-ONE wins USTDA grant for powering healthcare

EM-ONE has won a US Trade & Development Agency (USDTA) grant to develop the technical designs and business models for 150 community solar mini-grids powering healthcare at scale in Nigeria

Arlington, VA – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a grant to EM-ONE Energy, for a feasibility study that will strengthen healthcare delivery in rural and underserved regions of Nigeria through solar mini-grid systems. The study will run from January 2021 to January 2022.

USTDA’s study will assist EM-ONE in implementing solar-plus-storage mini-grid systems for up to 150 healthcare facilities and more than 300,000 nearby households. The study will identify the best-suited sites for the mini-grids, develop a business model to attract commercial and concessional financing, and finalize the design and technical specifications. The study will be completed in partnership with Colorado-based Odyssey Energy Solutions, Inc.

“USTDA’s support for this project will help provide access to clean and affordable electricity for healthcare facilities across Nigeria. This will improve healthcare services and quality of life for many communities,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “With our action, we are also creating opportunities for U.S. companies to supply reliable, high-quality infrastructure solutions to Nigeria.”

“Our firm has been working at the nexus of sustainable energy and health in West Africa for the past decade,” said Mir Islam, Chief Executive Officer at EM-ONE. “This grant will reshape how we provide reliable and sustainable power at scale to healthcare centres across the region. It will set the precedent for future donor and private sector involvement through sustainable technology and business models.”

This project supports the U.S. government’s Power Africa and Prosper Africa initiatives.