How does the Democratic Republic of the Congo support the economy?

In the AC, Democratic Republic of the Congo supports an economy six-times larger than today’s with only 35% more energy by diversifying its energy mix away from one that is 95% dependent on bioenergy.

Does Congo have a potential for renewable power generation?

As mentioned earlier, the country possesses a significant potential for renewable power generation, which is illustrated further as follows : Hydropower: For which the Congo River is the main source, with an average flow rate 42,000 m 3 /s. Biogas: Coming mainly from both plant and animal waste.

What solar projects are being built in the DRC?

The main existing solar project in the DRC is a 1MW solar mini-grid with 3MWh of battery storage capacity built by Enerdeal and Congo Energy in the city of Manono, to supply the local population and SMEs. Enerkac has also developed a 1MW hybrid plant powering SNEL’s Kananga mini-grid in Kasaï Central (non operational in 2019).

What is the government's vision for power generation in Congo?

The government’s vision is to increase the service level to 32 percent by 2030. Lack of access to modern electricity services impairs the health, education, and income-generating potential of millions of Congolese people. Most power generation development is directed and funded by mining companies seeking to power their facilities.

What is the main priority for the Democratic Republic of Congo's power sector?

The main priority for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s power sector is to increase access to electricity. The Democratic Republic of Congo is a large country with 10 million households of which 1.6 million have access to electricity. This makes it the third largest population in the world without access to electricity.

How much power does DRC have?

The DRC's total hydropower capacity is about 100,000 MW, with the Inga damn solely counting for 40,000-45,000 MW . A decade ago, during the year 2009, 89% of DRC's total population did not have access to electricity, leaving only 11% with access, while 94% of the population were completely dependent on biomass as the main cooking fuel .