In 2020, United Solar Initiative, a global energy access nonprofit project developer, designed and built an 8.7kW solar + storage microgrid in Kenya at a women’s hospital with the support of healthcare NGO funding partner Curamericas Global, microgrid technology provider Schneider Electric, and Kenyan solar installer PowerPoint Systems.
This system provides backup power to critical loads at the birthing center which incurs weekly power outages. The project development was completed remotely during the global pandemic and constructed by the local install team as soon as essential operations were allowed to commence per local Kenyan safety mandates. Since going online in August of 2020, the facility has saved money each month in their energy costs from the utility which allow more hospital supplies to be purchased. Most importantly though, the facility has seen a drastic increase in the number of births that the doctors at the Matongo Clinic are now supporting. Previously, 1 in 3 women gave birth in her home in less sanitary conditions rather than risk being turned away because of a power outage.
As result of Curamerica Global’s engagement in the community and a United Solar Initiative’s investment in the onsite renewable energy at the facility, mothers now have a location they can count on with access to clean and reliable electricity. Today, 95% of deliveries take place at the health facility with a skilled birth attendant.
