The approval of the 2021 Off-Grid Energy Regulation Act by the Council of Ministers is a giant leap forward for the Decentralized Renewable Energy sector in Mozambique, and presents a bold new model for how Africa can achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030.
AMDA, and the entire minigrid sector in Africa, would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Government of Mozambique, in particular the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Honourable Ernesto Max Tonela, for this important step forward in establishing the required regulatory framework to provide a bright future for all Mozambicans across the country.
The new regulations allow for Decentralized Renewable Energy providers to build minigrid systems that will provide reliable, sustainable and affordable electricity to underserved rural communities in Mozambique. This will anchor their socio-economic development opportunities, so they are not left behind as the economy of the country evolves and grows.
According to Vivian Vendeirinho, Chief Executive Officer of RVE.SOL and President of AMDA, the new regulations set the stage for a long-term partnership between the government of Mozambique and the private sector that can be a benchmark for the rest of the continent.
“The new regulations – particularly the concession model – give developers certainty about investing in long-term energy infrastructure in Mozambique. This is important, since minigrids are part and parcel of a country’s energy matrix and should be viewed through that lens”, Mr. Vendeirinho said.
He continued: “Mozambique provides a clear framework of how to build a long-term and sustainable energy market that other countries should adopt. The clear guidelines on allowing minigrids to connect and trade energy with Electricidade de Moçambique (EdM), the national utility, considerably lowers the risk for developers and will spur them to invest more in Mozambique.”
“The end-result will be empowerment of rural communities, more jobs and trading opportunities for Mozambique”, surmised Mr. Vendeirinho.
It is important to highlight the key role that the BRILHO Programme performed in advocating for, and supporting the development of the 2021 Off-Grid Energy Regulation Act. BRILHO is a five-year programme (2019-2024), funded by the British Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), as a contribution by the British people for Mozambique to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7). BRILHO is implemented by SNV – Netherlands Development Organisation.
About AMDA
The Africa Minigrid Developers Association (AMDA) is the leading body representing private sector developers on the continent. It works with governments, donors, funding partners and the wider energy sector to build an optimal energy network that will meet the current and future and needs of African economies. AMDAs work focuses on improving finance to the Decentralized Renewable Energy sector, creating an enabling policy environment for developers to operate and building an evidence base on the benefits of minigrids as the continent moves to provide universal access to energy for all its citizens.
About RVE.SOL
RVE.SOL is one of Africa’s leading minigrid developers, focused on fighting rural poverty and empowering MSMEs across the continent. The company is founded on the belief that the lack of access to energy is one of the fundamental perpetuators of rural poverty, which leads to millions of people dying unnecessarily. To address this, RVE.SOL developed the world’s first customisable Green Minigrid (GMG) solution to sustainable rural development, integrating purification of water, generation of biogas and mobile prepayment.
For media enquiries and more information:
Andrew Juma
Communications Manager
Africa Minigrid Developers Association (AMDA)
M: +254 791 248 444
E: ajuma@africamda.org