A recently-created AMDA, African Mini-Grid Developers’ Association, a trade association focused on emerging markets in sub-Saharan Africa, has taken on the role of developing a long-term solution to electricity poverty in the region, where 500 million people or more lack access to electricity.
Founding member Sam Slaughter, CEO of Power-Gen Renewable Energy, sees microgrid- or minigrid-scale operations in a distributed mesh network using renewables like solar power, most likely linked through a blockchain-managed interaction network, are likely to be the best approach, rather than massive national investments in regional transmission grids – a “21st century approach,” rather than the 20th, he says.
Mr. Slaughter’s company, currently one of ten founding member companies. has deployed over 40 microgrids in those two countries.
The organization is beginning with Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa, but plans to expand to the continent.
Further information is available at africamda.org. An interview with Mr. Slaughter is available at YouTube channel Power for All (youtube.com, search “power for all” and click on the selection with this icon.