Melela scheme

• Solar Mini Grid Scheme, Melela, Tanzania


  Scheme controlled by Devergy, a small company specialising in renewable solar energy solutions. Installed in 2013
• How the scheme works

  1. Uses photovoltaic panels to generate electricity

  2. Electricity is fed into a small grid

  3. 200 houses are connected

  4. Generates enough electricity to power 2 small lamps, a mobile phone charger and a TV per house
• Advantages of the scheme

  • Social: good for remote rural villages, better connected to the world via TV and phones
  • Economic: increased employment in the village because businesses stay open longer because they have lighting, lower energy cost leaves more money to spend on essentials, cheap and easy to fit technology
  • Environmental: less kerosene burned and used is better for health and the environment
• Disadvantages of the scheme

  • Some villagers still cannot afford the technology, those who can afford it need more than given
  • Power generated from grids decrease during the seasonal rains