Renewvia Solar Africa plans to invest US$750 million in solar mini-grid projects across four African countries as investor interest in decentralised energy systems accelerates across the continent.
The company, a subsidiary of U.S.-based Renewvia Energy Corp, said the planned expansion will target Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Chief executive Trey Jarrard disclosed the plans in an interview published by Bloomberg on May 8.
The company expects the projects to provide electricity access to approximately 2.1 million people in rural and underserved communities where access to national power grids remains limited.
Renewvia has already established subsidiaries in the four countries to support early-stage project development and local operations.
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Founded in Atlanta in 2008, the company already operates mini-grid systems in Kenya and Nigeria.
It currently manages 24 commercial mini-grids with installed capacities ranging from 100 kilowatts to 2.5 megawatts.
The company develops hybrid systems combining solar generation and battery storage to provide electricity to households, schools, health centres, businesses and small industries.
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Most users pay for electricity through mobile payment platforms under pay-as-you-go systems, a model increasingly common across Africa’s off-grid energy sector.
Renewvia owns and operates the infrastructure directly while encouraging productive electricity use in local communities to improve long-term profitability.
Alongside the broader African expansion, the company is also seeking to raise $45 million in long-term concessional debt to strengthen operations in Kenya.
Part of the financing would support expansion of a metro-grid system in Kakuma refugee camp in northwestern Kenya and help finance a renewable energy project in Dadaab near the Somali border.
The expansion reflects a broader shift toward decentralised energy solutions across Africa, where governments and investors are increasingly turning to solar mini-grids, microgrids and home solar kits to address persistent electricity shortages.
More than 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity, according to international development agencies.
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In many rural and peri-urban areas, extending national power grids is considered too costly or too slow, making modular energy systems a more practical alternative.
Mini-grid projects are typically financed through a combination of private capital, concessional debt and development finance support.
The sector has attracted growing interest from major private operators and international financial institutions.
Husk Power Systems announced in late 2025 plans to raise $400 million through equity and debt financing to support further expansion across Africa and other emerging markets.
Institutional support for decentralised energy systems has also increased through initiatives such as Mission 300, a joint programme led by the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
Launched in 2024, the programme aims to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030, with a particular focus on rural and underserved communities.
Energy analysts say decentralised solar systems are becoming increasingly important in Africa’s energy transition because they can be deployed quickly, scaled gradually and adapted to local demand patterns.
They add that falling solar technology costs and improved battery storage systems are making mini-grid projects more commercially viable across the continent.
