SgurrEnergy was awarded funding from the Scottish government to design and implement a micro-hydroelectric scheme in Malawi. The project will aid in delivering renewable energy to an off-grid community without a reliable source of power.
The three-year project will see SgurrEnergy, a Wood Group company, manage the design and installation of a 100-kW hydroelectric scheme in Mulanje, as well as a community education program to provide skills for the operation and maintenance of the technology.
In conjunction with SgurrEnergy’s efforts, money from the $8-million Malawi Innovation Challenge Fund (MICF) will allow Mulanje to develop the hydro project. The MICF provides grant financing for innovative projects proposed by the private sector active in Malawi’s agricultural and manufacturing sectors. According to Malawi government officials, MICF is supported by the UNDP and the UK Department for International Development.
Financial terms of the award and overall project costs were not immediately available, but project completion date is scheduled for 2018.