Walikale centre: 250 Households Served by Solar Power
Electrification of 250 households in Walikale Centre thanks to a hybrid solar power plant designed by GoShop Energy. Learn about the equipment, results, and impact of this mini-grid in the DRC.
50%
CO2 reduction
50%
energy saving
6.000
tons produced every year
In downtown Walikale, nightfall once marked the end of the day’s activities; the streets grew dark, businesses closed early, and many families lived without any electricity at all. This situation hindered economic development, paralyzed the healthcare sector, and limited access to safe drinking water, exposing residents to serious epidemics.
250 households in the city of Walikale have been connected to the power grid thanks to the first phase of an electrification project featuring a 45 KVA/50 kWh/32 kWc solar power plant and one 27 kW Fronius Eco inverter. This project, designed by Nduma Kashe and implemented by GoShop Energy, provides the community with access to a stable energy supply available every day.
Phase 1: A Comprehensive Infrastructure for a Modern Mini Grid
To bring about a sustainable transformation in access to electricity in Walikale Centre, GoShop Energy has deployed a hybrid solar infrastructure. This system consists of 80 solar panels (400 W each), three-phase inverters, a 50 kWh storage system, and a 95 kVA backup generator to ensure electricity distribution. The entire system is managed by smart monitoring technology (Cerbo/Starlink). The system includes 2 km of low-voltage lines, street lighting to ensure safety along the main roads, and one Prevectron lightning arrester to protect the system from lightning strikes.
After connecting the 250 households, weekly energy consumption ranged from 250 to 450 kWh, confirming the rapid adoption of this new infrastructure by the region’s residents.
Phase 2: Supporting the Growth in Energy Demand
This resounding success and the gradual increase in energy demand naturally led to a second phase of expansion. Designed to support this growth, this phase bolstered the power plant’s generation and storage capacity through the integration of the following new equipment:
72 620-W panels, resulting in an increased output of 44.64 kWc,
10 BYD batteries with a storage capacity of 50 kWh,
4 Victron MPPT RS 450/200 controllers for high-performance power management
Products used in this project
Cerbo-S GX
Results and Impact
Currently, the combination of these two phases, coupled with a significant reduction in generator usage frequency, has enabled the system to achieve 100% solar power, with daily consumption stabilized at approximately 358 kWh. This demonstrates that the local population has not only embraced this project but is also using it as a catalyst to transform their daily lives.
With this production and storage capacity, the project contributes to Walikale’s development, enabling residents to pursue various activities to support their households and fostering economic growth and the flow of capital in the area.
Through this project in Walikale Centre, GoShop Energy reaffirms its expertise in designing and deploying energy solutions tailored to the realities on the ground in the DRC.
Contact Us https://www.goshop.cd/contact-us
GoShop Energy, Your Energy Provider
