.jpg)
VerdErg Renewable Energy was selected by Innovate UK to join the International Brokerage Visit to Malawi, 25 June - 2 July, 2022. The visit was arranged to help innovative UK businesses tap into knowledge, skills and facilities in Malawi and to build collaboration and partnerships.
An ongoing major constraint to Malawi's economic growth is energy. The country has one of the lowest electrification rates worldwide with only 11% of the population connected to the national power grid, dropping to only 4% of the population in rural areas.
Half of Malawians live over 5 km from the National Grid, approximately 9 million people. The Malawian Government is working hard to rectify this. Recent policy and government strategy supports increased renewable energy and decentralised energy systems, particularly for underserved rural populations. The government is supporting an increase in decentralised energy systems, with at least 50 renewable energy micro-grids wanted by 2025.
75% of the Malawi's power comes from large hydropower plants, predominantly on the Shire river. Only 4% of Malawi's known small hydropower potential, however, has been developed so far. Therefore there remains enormous scope to support the country with intelligent and flexible technology to make the supply of electricity - and the local use of this electricity - affordable, practical and reliable.
Innovate UK's International Brokerage Visit to Malawi was a successful and insightful trip. Lars Boerner, MD, VerdErg Renewable Energy, took part in the visit and met with contacts and potential partners. Conversations are continuing on bringing low head sustainable hydropower to Malawi and across sub-Saharan Africa thereafter.
More news to follow soon.