Farmers near L.Victoria to buy power from wind-solar project

Villagers around Lake Victoria in Kagera, Mwanza and Mara regions are set to benefit from a wind-solar technology that will generate electricity to be used in running water pumps from the Lake for irrigation use.

The project will enable small scale fa
rmers surrounding the Lake to grow crops annually.

The scheme is initiated by Africa Wind Energy Technology Associate Company Ltd (Aweta)

Aweta’s Chief Executive Officer Jean-Luc Delcassé made the revelation to this paper at the just–ended meeting for stakeholders engaged in renewable energy industry on strategies to promote the industry.

According to the CEO, they have already conducted a feasibility study around Lake Victoria and prepared a business plan so that they can obtain financial support from different financial institutions to implement the project.

“This is a new project designed to support the villagers to access electricity in their respective areas for domestic and commercial use and as a firm,” he said.
The development follows the observation that there is a lot of water, wind and solar in these regions but people don’t make use of the resources,” he said.
“We are going to conduct a pilot project in the Lake Zone to show the Lake Zone communities in practical how the technology is working and the pilot project will be called KV 50,” he said.
“We have already mobilised financial resources from donors and some of them have agreed to support us so that we can start to implement the project,” he added.

While in the said regions, Aweta will conduct a demonstration and promotion of the use of solar and wind for water pumping at Lake Victoria so that villagers can start to use it for domestic and irrigation farming activities.

During implementation, the firm will install wind turbines and wind-solar hybrid system.

 “This project aims to enhance the living standards of small holder farmers through increased production of crops, food security, creation of jobs, and increased income,” he said.
This project is a proceeding of a pre-Feasibility Study that has already conducted surrounding the Lake Victoria and the report available indicate that there is a lot of wind and solar that can be used to generate power from the Lake Victoria.

He pointed that the ministry of water has already issued a permit to start the project as soon as the funds are available.

“We need support from the government including all approvals that will be required in the process and technical assistance from the ministry of water and local government in areas where we intend to establish this project to help people access electricity and use water for domestic and commercial use,” he said.
Presently, Aweta deals in the sale and installation of mechanical water pumping windmills, solar-wind hybrid powered water pumping systems among others.

On the advantage of wind –solar water pumps, he mentioned low operational costs and saving of forex that is used to import fossil fuel.
The wind turbines will be installed adjacent to Lake Victoria or on the shores of Lake Victoria, he said, noting that water and electricity are key factors of socio-economic development and the fight against poverty.