In the conversation about fighting climate change, DRC is often referred to as one of the lungs of the Earth and a solution-country because of its high renewable energy potential and its rich equatorial forest and biodiversity. Only about 9 percent of the population has access to electricity. So investing in renewable energy technologies like solar PV makes sense for environmentally responsible economic growth. Here are 5 reasons why this is the best time for Congolese entrepreneurs, families, businesses and institutions to invest in solar energy.
1. Diesel generator energy prices are high
The reliance on diesel generators is great in many towns and rural areas of the DRC. Diesel can cost up to $2.6/liter, a considerable and often untenable expense for a business struggling to break even. The DRC needs an alternative to this expensive and inadequate situation.
Owning a diesel generator in the DRC leads to an average cost of energy of 0.73$/kWh, sensibly more than the 0.33$/kWh to 0.45$/kWh that IZUBA’s professionally designed and installed private solar plant cost.
2. Energy demand is rising nationwide
As the DRC economy is expected to keep growing, the IMF and the Central Bank show economic growth reached 8.9% in 2022. Energy is the driver for economic empowerment; this means that there is more demand for electricity to power productive centers that process agricultural products like maize, tomatoes, cassava, etc.
3. The national utility is not reliable enough.
SNEL works for an unpredictable 6 to 7 hours per day, meaning customers cannot plan their activities according to scheduled outages. A significant number of people report problems with the quality of SNEL’s electricity. Electricity meters are old, broken, non-existent, or simply ignored. Businesses rightly do not believe that their bills are an accurate measure of the energy they have received. Recently SNEL has invested in smart metering, quoting their price/kWh at 0.13$/kWh, however this effort has only reached a very tiny percentage of the population and even then reliability issues have yet to be addressed.
4. The price of solar panels is declining
The current local price of a solar panel in the DRC is 0.62$/W when sixteen percent VAT tax included. But IZUBA has partnered directly with manufacturers to be in a position to be the most competitive possible.
The good news on the global market is that the prices of solar panels are going down every year.
5. Solar panels decrease your carbon footprint and are a smart investment for generations to come
Investing in alternative energy has important implications for your carbon footprint. Solar generates electricity without emitting carbon dioxide or methane into the atmosphere.
Offsetting your energy use by transitioning to renewable energy invests in a better world for those that come after you – your children and their generations to come.