By HELEN ZULU –
MUHANYA Solar Limited Company will soon start developing mini-electricity grids in an effort to scale up the use of solar-powered energy in the country.
Business development manager Stephen Chileshe said the company was engaging in the development of mini-grids with the pilot project expected to start soon in Sinda District in Eastern Province.
He said this during the 90th Zambia Agricultural and Commercial Show in Lusaka.
Mr Chileshe said the pilot phase for the project would service about 60 households and the maximum would be 300 households.
He said the company was committed to ensuring that it catered for people in all the sectors in the country.
The company was in the process of introducing a new system called ‘Pay as you go’ small solar lighting kits which would be rented out to people in the rural areas.
Mr Chileshe said the software for the product was ready and samples were there, adding that it would be rolled out once all the modalities were in place.
He said the product would involve paying using the mobile money as the company would be partnering with some mobile companies to ensure that the project was implemented.
The firm would next month open a new office in Kitwe to take services closer to the people.
Mr Chileshe said in October this year, the company would introduce solar-powered products dubbed ‘Cool cube’ on the Zambian market for the dairy and fisheries sectors.
He described the Cool cube, which is refrigeration equipment, as extra efficient and solar-powered, and was expected to be available in the country by the end of October this year.
Mr Chileshe said the equipment could be used by dairy farmers, fishermen and those in the business of exporting fresh flowers.
“We are introducing a new product on the Zambian market which we are calling the Cool cube. This is meant for the people in the dairy sector, fisheries and those involved in the export of fresh flowers,” Mr Chileshe said.