Accra, Berlin and Niestetal, 10 July 2018: ecoligo GmbH and SMA Sunbelt Energy GmbH have formed a new partnership in Ghana to develop solar projects using SMA inverters and other high-quality equipment procured by SMA Sunbelt. The cooperation, which brings the German manufacturer’s trusted technology together with ecoligo’s solar-as-a-service solution, will ensure the durability and reliability of ecoligo’s solar projects. The move is also a signal of quality to the crowdinvestors who finance ecoligo’s projects on the platform ecoligo.investments.
The first project to be included in the partnership is a set of solar power systems for Stanbic Bank’s Dansoman, Kasoa and Tema branches in Accra and Tema, with a combined capacity of 40 kWp. The project, which is part of the dena Renewable Energy Solutions Programme, was installed in June. ecoligo’s fully financed leasing solution, through which the company provides businesses with hassle-free, clean electricity, will help the bank to move towards more sustainable operations. As the systems are financed by crowdinvestors, ecoligo closes the finance gap that currently hinders the realisation of such projects.
SMA Solar Technology AG is well-known for its high-quality PV system technology and produces a range of hardware solutions for the efficient use of photovoltaic energy by commercial and industrial clients in emerging markets. These technologies have an excellent track record in off- and on-grid installations worldwide. The affiliated company SMA Sunbelt, which is active in sunbelt regions around the globe, focuses on off-grid, hybrid and storage-based solar projects.
“Working with an esteemed partner who has experience in delivering components for solar projects in Ghana is a great step for ecoligo. We can trust that the components are reliable and long-lasting, which is not only important for our clients but also gives extra assurance to the crowdinvestors, as a high-quality installation is even more likely to produce the desired financial returns.” – Martin Baart, CEO of ecoligo
“The finance gap is a bottleneck that we frequently see preventing solar projects from being implemented. ecoligo’s solution is a smart way to address this and we are happy to collaborate with a partner in Ghana that is dedicated to solving such problems. We look forward to implementing the first projects together this year.” – Guluma Megersa, Business Development Manager of SMA Sunbelt
ecoligo GmbH
ecoligo provides a fully financed solar-as-a-service solution for businesses in emerging markets. With a complete digital platform for financing and delivering solar projects, ecoligo removes the barriers that prevent such projects from being realised. Supplying these businesses with affordable electricity enables them to grow and boost the local economy. Find out more at ecoligo.com.
SMA Sunbelt Energy GmbH
SMA Sunbelt Energy GmbH is a 100% affiliated company of SMA Solar Technology AG. It was founded in 2014 and focuses on off-grid, hybrid and battery based solar projects. SMA Sunbelt Energy GmbH concentrates its business on the world’s Sunbelt regions (Africa, Central America/Caribbean and South-East Asia). Customers profit from more than 30 years of SMA know-how in PV hybrid solutions. Find out more at sma.de/sma-sunbelt-energy-gmbh.
This project is part of the worldwide dena Renewable Energy Solutions Programme coordinated by the Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena) – the German Energy Agency – and supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) within the German Energy Solutions Initiative.
German Energy Agency (dena)
dena is Germany’s centre of expertise for energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and intelligent energy systems. As Agency for Applied Energy Transition dena helps achieve energy and climate policy objectives by developing solutions and putting them into practice, both nationally and internationally. In order to do this, dena brings partners from politics and business together, across sectors. dena’s shareholders are the Federal Republic of Germany and the KfW Group. https://www.dena.de/en
German Energy Solutions Initiative
The transfer of energy expertise, the promotion of foreign trade and the facilitation of international development cooperation are part of the German Energy Solutions Initiative, which is coordinated and financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The initiative offers networking and business opportunities in Germany and abroad, it showcases reference projects and facilitates capacity building. www.german-energy-solutions.de/en
dena Renewable Energy Solutions Programme (dena RES Programme)
The dena RES Programme was developed by the Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena) – the German Energy Agency. This programme, supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy within the German Energy Solutions Initiative, helps German renewable energy companies enter new markets. Within the framework of the programme, reference and demonstration projects are installed in cooperation with prestigious institutions. The installation is accompanied by comprehensive PR, marketing and training programmes. These projects showcase high-quality German renewable energy technology and help participating companies gain a foothold in new markets. www.german-energy-solutions.de/en/res