Local Firm Secures $4m Funding For Rural Solar Projects

BY REJOICE CHINGWARU

LOCAL solar finance company, Zonful Energy, has secured a $4 million soft loan from Kiva International to roll out cheap solar lighting systems to several rural communities, which are not connected to the national power grid

Zonful Energy chief executive officer, William Ponelo, recently told NewsDay that his organisation was targeting marginalised communities to enable them to be at par with their counterparts connected to the electricity grid.

“Zonful provides smart credit to enable low income consumers to access energy products and pay them in instalments and the consumer will have control of the solar system upon full payment,” he said.

Ponelo said the pilot project would be carried out in over 200 households in Mhondoro Ngezi starting next month.

According to Zonful Energy, Zimbabwe has 8,25 million people, who live off-grid and depend on paraffin and firewood for lighting and, while those connected to the national power grid typically suffer erratic supplies.