Kenya-based M-KOPA Solar announced that it has connected an estimated 20,000 Ugandan homes to affordable solar power in the past 15 months.
The ‘pay-as-you-go’ energy service provider for off-grid homes is extending its product offering across the country with a target of connecting 50,000 additional off-grid households by the end of 2015.
Jesse Moore, managing director and co-founder of M-KOPA Solar, said: “We are very proud of the M-KOPA III solar home system and our success to date in Uganda. Together we are helping Ugandans get rid of kerosene, improve their standard of living and save money all at once.”
M-KOPA customers can buy the M-KOPA III kit for a deposit of UGX 90,000 (ZAR390) plus 365 daily payments of UGX 1400 (ZAR5). The company claims the price is cheaper than the daily kerosene needed to power lights and to charge phones.
“After a year of daily payments, customers own their systems outright with no further billing. The deposit is fully refundable and customers can receive real-time customer support from M-KOPA’s toll free call centre,” M-KOPA said in a company statement.
Off-grid solar kit
The M-KOPA III kit includes:
- one 8W solar panel
- one high quality lithium battery
- two LED solar lights with switches
- one solar rechargeable LED torch
- one solar rechargeable radio
- one mobile phone charger
According to Anthony Weremaka, general manager of M-KOPA Uganda: “In Uganda M-KOPA is now connecting over 500 new homes to solar each week, and even bigger growth lies ahead.”
“In many markets around the world, solar is seen as something of a luxury. But in Uganda solar is giving people an essential foot on the energy ladder and helping them save money. We are proud to have 20,000 customers already but also know we are only beginning to make our positive impact in Uganda – the best is yet to come”, Moore concluded.
