Renewable Energy Programme

EFA’s Photovoltaic Electricity programme emerged from an initial project installation for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Liberia. This work allowed the organisation to develop the necessary internal capacity to develop an ongoing Renewable Energy Programme, including necessary personnel development and equipment procurement. Work continued through the process of making EFA’s operations more ‘green’ by working solar power into their project and operations planning, including installations at the Tiwai Island site and the main office/guesthouse in Lakka.

Since then the programme has developed to a semi-autonomous, ‘social enterprise’ within EFA. Its unique operating structure operates as a non-profit business within EFA, generating project funding through sales and installations to the private sector. This has proven successful and has allowed EFA to develop a sustainable programme, independent of donor funding. More recently EFA has begun a partnership with the Government Technical Institute in Freetown which is training a generation of professionals who can spread the technology across the region.

See below for a list of past and on-going projects. In addition to these projects, EFA is constantly developing partners and clients in Sierra Leone through site assessments and guidance on project design and implementation. EFA also has project grants for its other programme work through the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and the European Commission (EC) in its primary project area surrounding Tiwai Island.

List of completed projects:

Client: United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)
Time Period: January – August, 2007 
Location: 7 schools and 5 health clinics across Liberia
Description: The installed systems were a combination of small (135Wp) DC systems for lighting and large (1050Wp) systems for general purpose power. Three additional dedicated vaccine fridge systems were also installed. All building wiring was conducted by EFA and its partner.
Estimated Budget: US$200 00

Client: Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA)
Time Period: August – September, 2007
Location: Tiwai Island, Pujehun and Kenema District, Sierra Leone
Description: Installation consisted of four sub-systems at the Tiwai Island Visitor’s Centre and Research Centre. The two DC systems (330Wp) are utilised
Estimated Budget: US$30 000

Client: Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA)
Time Period: February, 2008 
Location: Lakka, Sierra Leone Description: Installation of a hybrid-photovoltaic (PV) system at the EFA office/guesthouse compound in Lakka. System included 1750Wp of array and has an integrated charging system that works in conjunction with the existing generator. System uses outback equipment with DEKA GEL batteries.
Estimated Budget: $25000

Client: Welt Hunger Hilfe (WHH)
Time Period: March, 2008
Location: Kenema, Kenema District, Sierra Leone Description: Photovoltaic system at the WHH field office in Kenema town. System consists of 1050Wp of array and uses all Outback equipment with DEKA GEL batteries.
Estimated Budget: $19000

Client: CARE International
Time Period: April, 2008
Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone Description: Battery charging system for the security lighting at the CARE office in Freetown. System consists of an Outback inverter with Surrette batteries. Estimated Budget: $12000

Client: Light Up The World / CAUSE Canada
Time Period: October, 2008 – June, 2009
Location: Kabala, Sierra Leone Description: Multi phase and site project with LUTW and CAUSE in Kabala. Overall project consisted of seven (7) installations including four (4) schools, a library, a resource centre and an office. Installations included all building wiring and photovoltaic work.
Estimated Budget: $50000

Client: GTZ-Sierra Leone
Time Period: May, 2009 
Location: Freetown, Kono, Kenema and Kailahun, Sierra Leone Description: Troubleshooting and repair visit to GTZ’s offices. All have photovoltaic installations that were operating below expected levels. 
Estimated Budget: $2000

Client: Government Technical Institute-Kissy
Time Period: March – June, 2009 
Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone Description: Taught a course on Photovoltaic Electricity at one of the tertiary institutes in Freetown. Course was taught to the third year Electrical Engineers and will become part of the curriculum for the 2009-2010 year.
Estimated Budget: N/A Ongoing projects

Client: Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA)
Time Period: Ongoing
Location: Pujehun and Kenema Districts, Sierra Leone Description: An ongoing project with EFA to provide lighting to communities in and around the Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary. To date the project has included six (6) sites, two (2) schools, two (2) clinics, one (1) mosque and a court barri. Supported through private donations from Global Giving and revenue from private installations
. Estimated Budget: $32000

Client: CONCERN
Time Period: March, 2009
Location: Freetown and Magburaka, Sierra Leone 
Description: Installation consists of three (3) systems at the Freetown and Magburaka offices. Each is a battery charging system using an Outback inverter/charger and Surrette batteries. To date the server back-up system has been installed. Estimated Budget: $16000

Client: UNICEF
Time Period: To be announced
Location: Ganta, Nimba district, Liberia
Description: The Learning Along Borders for Living Across Boundaries school (LAB4LAB, UNICEF) will be provided with solar generated Electricity for (among others) 9 classrooms, a Science Laboratory, a Computer Laboratory, a Library, Administration Facilities, a school clinic, a mobile clinic, a radio station, a community resource centre, and a Community Hall. A solar powered DC pump will also be installed.
Estimated budget: $105,000

Client: Masanga hospital
Time period: February-May 2010
Location: Masanga, Sierra Leone
Description; emergency ac (alternating current) back-up electricity supply for hospital’s operating theatre, with constant autonomous supply for vaccine fridge’s Solar water pumping system for the hospital’s well, providing water supply to parts of hospital.
Budget:20,000 Euros

Client: Concern
Time period: March – April 2010
Locations: To be announced
Description: solar PV installations for 2 clinics in provinces, providing lighting and AC supply
Budget: $15,000

For further information or inquiries please contact David Garnett: davidgarnett1@gmail.com

To learn more about GTI, LAB4LAB and Masanga hospitalplease click here