Solar-hybrid minigrids company Husk Power is entering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with backing from impact investment fund Acumen, enabling it to establish a corporate presence and accelerate minigrid deployment.
Husk will receive support through a USD 500,000 (EUR 477,464) grant from Acumen’s Hardest-to-Reach (H2R) initiative, which seeks to provide electricity to 72 million people in sub-Saharan Africa over a decade by expanding solar solutions in underserved markets.
The grant will aid Husk Power to secure important government clearances, create a pipeline of disbursed renewable energy projects and deploy minigrids asides establishing a corporate appearance in the country.
“This catalytic support from H2R is a vital component in scaling community solar minigrids across Sub-Saharan Africa, where the World Bank identifies minigrids as the most cost-effective solution to electrify 380 million people,” said Husk Power’s CEO, Manoj Sinha.
Expanding into the DRC will further Husk Power’s Africa Sunshot initiative, launched in 2023, which aims to deploy 2,500 minigrids across the continent by 2030.According to the press statement, the partnership also marks an important shift for decentralized renewable energy in one of the world’s most energy-deprived regions.
