Since 2019, Resource Matters has conducted extensive research to develop sustainable electrification solutions for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This in-depth analysis focused on the country’s existing energy infrastructure, its energy potential, and electricity demand.
Building upon this research, we launched the Congo Epela platform in 2022. This platform offers a range of tailored electrification solutions for different regions, including grid extension, mini-grid development, and the deployment of individual solar kits. This initiative benefited from the technical expertise of renowned universities such as UCT, KTH, and RLI, as well as the collaborative efforts of our Mwangaza partner network.
Expanding on this work, we addressed a significant challenge in improving the DRC’s energy supply: electricity consumption in public buildings. Rapid urban growth and increasing energy demand in major cities, particularly Kinshasa, are straining the national grid. Public buildings, often lacking cost constraints, contribute substantially to this consumption, resulting in considerable financial losses for grid operators.
To explore more sustainable and efficient alternatives, we initiated pilot energy modeling projects for several public buildings in Kinshasa. The objective was to evaluate the feasibility of solar self- consumption solutions to decrease these buildings’ reliance on the main electricity grid.
Despite challenges in acquiring necessary data from relevant authorities, we ultimately concentrated our efforts on two pilot sites: the SNEL management concession and the ISTA site. The collected data enabled us to perform detailed simulations and assess the potential for energy self-sufficiency in these buildings.
The detailed results of these analyses are presented in the subsequent sections.
The results of these analyses are presented in detail in the report at this link.
