As the East African Community searches to acquire an adequate and reliable energy supply to the region that fits within its budget, solar power may be the answer.
Projects utilizing other renewable forms of energy are already underway, but as East Africa is one of the few regions that sit on the equator, the sun could hold its greatest potential. However, solar power makes up a small fraction of its current energy supply mainly because initial start-up fees are costly. It costs up to $1,000 to get a basic solar unit in most of the region, significantly higher than connecting to the already congested hydro-power grid.
The East African Community is now faced with coming up with a regional investment solar policy in order to attract major investors.