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By Jean Thaylord and Andy Bilich
On August 14, 2021 Haiti’s Southern Peninsula was hit with a magnitude 7.2 earthquake which caused thousands of deaths and tens of thousands more to be displaced or isolated as buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure collapsed in communities across Southern Haiti.
Critical community services and infrastructure like telecommunications, and particularly health clinics and hospitals were directly impacted by the earthquake itself and then further limited by massively constrained supply chains and logistics for things like diesel fuel for their generators. Most facilities lost power and/or had to alter or curtail service providing a grim reminder of the need for strong resilient local power systems and infrastructure to support communities in Haiti.
On August 14, 2021 Haiti’s Southern Peninsula was hit with a magnitude 7.2 earthquake which caused thousands of deaths and tens of thousands more to be displaced or isolated as buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure collapsed in communities across Southern Haiti.
Critical community services and infrastructure like telecommunications, and particularly health clinics and hospitals were directly impacted by the earthquake itself and then further limited by massively constrained supply chains and logistics for things like diesel fuel for their generators. Most facilities lost power and/or had to alter or curtail service providing a grim reminder of the need for strong resilient local power systems and infrastructure to support communities in Haiti.
Map of Earthquake Impact in Southern Haiti SOURCE: USAID (with EarthSpark additions for microgrids)
EarthSpark’s existing microgrid communities in Les Anglais and Tiburon were impacted, but fared better than other towns in the region. Even still, in the wake of the earthquake, the EarthSpark truck served as an ambulance helping transport people to the health clinic in Les Anglais and the larger area hospital in Port-Salut. In Tiburon, the small health center “Dispensaire Roger Paradis” saw its independent solar system go dark the day of the earthquake, likely because the quake shook components, that, already-old, were nearing the end of their use.
The Roger Paradis health center in Tiburon, Haiti
When the Tiburon facility manager called EarthSpark to request help, the team acted quickly, repurposing an inverter from EarthSpark's inventory to fix the small solar system and restore power. This small repair was EarthSpark’s first step into powering health care.
For reasons we will explain in our next blog, no EarthSpark microgrid has ever been connected to a health facility. When the earthquake struck, it became clear that the team should find a way to support the local health centers. Though the Tiburon health center is not yet connected to the Tiburon microgrid, EarthSpark's replacement of the solar inverter is part of a new strategy of engagement with the health facilities where EarthSpark has or is planning microgrid services. This new strategy is being launched in partnership with the GSMA Mobile for Humanitarian Development Fund. By early next year, we hope to have a larger and more reliable solar + battery system installed in the health center capable of powering both the health facility and the neighboring Digicel telecommunications tower in the event of another natural disaster that might disrupt normal microgrid operations.
Just as microgrids are generally more resilient to natural disasters than are larger grids with long strung-out transmission and distribution lines, on-site solar+storage embedded in a microgrid can offer even greater energy assurance -- capable of still delivering reliable and fuel-free energy even if the microgrid's central system or distribution system has been damaged.
These new distributed energy resources have the potential to increase electricity quality and reliability at health facilities, help enable operational efficiencies of the microgrids, reduce costs (especially for diesel fuels where clinics use them), and ensure long-term sustainable and resilient energy service to the clinics. With many technical and financial details still needing to be solved, we are anxious to see these microgrid-connected solar+storage sites powering critical community services as part of a new standard design process for future microgrids. Stay tuned!
Just as microgrids are generally more resilient to natural disasters than are larger grids with long strung-out transmission and distribution lines, on-site solar+storage embedded in a microgrid can offer even greater energy assurance -- capable of still delivering reliable and fuel-free energy even if the microgrid's central system or distribution system has been damaged.
These new distributed energy resources have the potential to increase electricity quality and reliability at health facilities, help enable operational efficiencies of the microgrids, reduce costs (especially for diesel fuels where clinics use them), and ensure long-term sustainable and resilient energy service to the clinics. With many technical and financial details still needing to be solved, we are anxious to see these microgrid-connected solar+storage sites powering critical community services as part of a new standard design process for future microgrids. Stay tuned!
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EarthSpark has worked in Les Anglais for over a decade. The town was hit hard by the August 14 earthquake. The iconic church collapsed, crushing many who had been inside preparing for a baptism. Others were injured as the concrete walls and ceilings of homes and businesses fell. The region continues to feel aftershocks, and people are afraid more buildings will fall. Unable to feel safe indoors, many people have pulled bedding outside and are sleeping in the streets. The health clinic lacked basic supplies before the earthquake. The medical staff, now performing all work outdoors in the courtyard, have been struggling to meet the enormous need for care. With little privacy and inadequate medical supplies, childbirth is happening in the same area as the waiting room.
There’s a lot of work to undo the structural injustices that have led to the current conditions, but while people are sleeping outside in the rain and infections are dangerously festering in broken limbs, we need all hands on deck helping victims.
There’s a lot of work to undo the structural injustices that have led to the current conditions, but while people are sleeping outside in the rain and infections are dangerously festering in broken limbs, we need all hands on deck helping victims.
Before the Aug 14 earthquake, the now-toppled steeple was a gleaming icon of Les Anglais. The poles and wires visible in this photo are still standing and providing electricity to the town.
Powering Through the Tragedy
When the earthquake hit, the EarthSpark team took quick action:
- Our 2 microgrids were able to power the towns through the tragedy, with total downtime <3 hours;
- We de-energized the Les Anglais grid immediately after the quake to check for damage;
- We had minimal structural damage to the grid and will not need specialized repairs;
- After ensuring energy provision, we have been helping ad hoc, turning the truck into an ambulance, a hearse; translating for emergency medical providers; coordinating air lift patients; advocating for relief services and supplies to reach the town of Les Anglais; installing new lights in the clinic; supporting our team and community as best we can.
Being able to continue powering Les Anglais and Tiburon through the earthquake is a case example of the value of microgrids and distributed renewable energy. However, we were lucky this time that our grids withstood only minor damage. As we look to expand microgrids throughout the region, we will work with the municipalities, clinics, and government officials to make sure we do all we can to be ready for when the next disaster hits.
- We need on-site solar and batteries at locations providing critical services like at telecommunication towers and health clinics to ensure continuity of service even if the distribution grid is damaged (and to strengthen the grids during normal operations);
- Clinics need basic medical supplies onsite. We look to the health sector to lead on this, but as employers in these towns, it is also our responsibility to ensure our team has access to basic care.
- People need access to better construction materials and methods. Again, we hope others will lead on this, but microgrids cannot deliver electricity to structures that have collapsed or to homes that need to be torn down and rebuilt.
To support EarthSpark's ongoing work building affordable, reliable electricity service in rural Haiti, please
Thank you for your support!
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This morning an earthquake hit southern Haiti, not far from EarthSpark’s operations.
It's been a whirlwind of a day. The damage is extensive in the region. The iconic church in Les Anglais collapsed while a baptism was taking place. Homes toppled. Bodies have been pulled from the rubble, and many remain missing.
Our EarthSpark and Enèji Pwòp teams are accounted for, but family members are injured. One of our colleagues lost his daughter. It's heartbreaking.
It's been a whirlwind of a day. The damage is extensive in the region. The iconic church in Les Anglais collapsed while a baptism was taking place. Homes toppled. Bodies have been pulled from the rubble, and many remain missing.
Our EarthSpark and Enèji Pwòp teams are accounted for, but family members are injured. One of our colleagues lost his daughter. It's heartbreaking.
Les Anglais was hit harder than Tiburon. Both towns seem to have fared better than others in the region.
For safety, our team de-energized the Les Anglais grid for several hours to check for downed wires and await aftershocks. Both microgrids are back up and running now. I’m proud and relieved to say that EarthSpark’s systems seem to have fared well and are powering the towns through this tragedy.
With the grids sorted, Wendy and Jean are now busy trying to help our team and community members. Regional roads are impassible due to landslides. Hospitals on the other sides of the landslides are overwhelmed.
With all of the Haiti headlines focused on the awful events in Port-au-Prince recently, this is a tragic reminder that rural Haiti still urgently needs basic services and infrastructure.
For safety, our team de-energized the Les Anglais grid for several hours to check for downed wires and await aftershocks. Both microgrids are back up and running now. I’m proud and relieved to say that EarthSpark’s systems seem to have fared well and are powering the towns through this tragedy.
With the grids sorted, Wendy and Jean are now busy trying to help our team and community members. Regional roads are impassible due to landslides. Hospitals on the other sides of the landslides are overwhelmed.
With all of the Haiti headlines focused on the awful events in Port-au-Prince recently, this is a tragic reminder that rural Haiti still urgently needs basic services and infrastructure.
Before today's earthquake, the now-toppled steeple was a gleaming icon of Les Anglais. The poles and wires visible in this photo are still standing and providing electricity to the town.
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This weekend Americans celebrate a bold declaration. It wasn’t itself enough, but it was a pivotal piece of what has become history.
What will our era’s contribution be?
This may be our moment. Let us rise to the occasion.
As the United States sees the impacts of climate change but wavers on taking meaningful action to address it, it feels like there is hesitation or inability to state and embrace the obvious: we need to stop using fossil fuels, and we need to act quickly. Everything we need is within reach. Details matter, but only if the big picture is well defined.
From our small perch on the planet, the EarthSpark team has already committed to shifting to 100% renewable energy for our electricity systems in Haiti. It turns out that relying on even a small amount of fossil fuels where we work is extremely expensive and difficult to manage. For us, the shift to 100% is already here. “It’s not only possible, it’s happening!” says Wendy Sannassee. If our tiny organization can go 100% renewable energy in rural Haiti, the United States of America can also get this done!
Ready for a smile and a shot of can-do-ism?
What will our era’s contribution be?
This may be our moment. Let us rise to the occasion.
As the United States sees the impacts of climate change but wavers on taking meaningful action to address it, it feels like there is hesitation or inability to state and embrace the obvious: we need to stop using fossil fuels, and we need to act quickly. Everything we need is within reach. Details matter, but only if the big picture is well defined.
From our small perch on the planet, the EarthSpark team has already committed to shifting to 100% renewable energy for our electricity systems in Haiti. It turns out that relying on even a small amount of fossil fuels where we work is extremely expensive and difficult to manage. For us, the shift to 100% is already here. “It’s not only possible, it’s happening!” says Wendy Sannassee. If our tiny organization can go 100% renewable energy in rural Haiti, the United States of America can also get this done!
Ready for a smile and a shot of can-do-ism?
Is the transition to 100% renewable energy possible? Of course it is! say the members of the EarthSpark team.
Together, let’s all speed up the transition and get better energy everywhere.
The spirit of this email is celebratory and encouraging, but we also want to share that things are very hard in Haiti right now. Our team is ok, but many are not so lucky. Gang violence and COVID are both surging. The vaccine has not arrived. Hunger and physical insecurity are widespread. A political crisis is coming to a head, and the season’s first hurricane is currently tracking towards the coast.
It’s a sobering time, but the best answer is always grounded optimism and the diligence to follow it up. If you can support our work, please consider making a donation here. Oh, and please spread the word in your communities about the urgency and our ability to make some bold declarations of independence from the oppressive systems – fossil fuels and otherwise – that we currently face.
The spirit of this email is celebratory and encouraging, but we also want to share that things are very hard in Haiti right now. Our team is ok, but many are not so lucky. Gang violence and COVID are both surging. The vaccine has not arrived. Hunger and physical insecurity are widespread. A political crisis is coming to a head, and the season’s first hurricane is currently tracking towards the coast.
It’s a sobering time, but the best answer is always grounded optimism and the diligence to follow it up. If you can support our work, please consider making a donation here. Oh, and please spread the word in your communities about the urgency and our ability to make some bold declarations of independence from the oppressive systems – fossil fuels and otherwise – that we currently face.
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by Andy Bilich
EarthSpark is delighted to announce the release of "Kwison Elektrik: Solar Power for Electricity Access and Electric Cooking in Haiti." The report, in partnership with SUNSPOT™ and with the UK Government's Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) program details the pilot project
A research project in rural Haiti demonstrates the effectiveness of electric cooking technologies powered by solar microgrids to improve the quality of life for community members while generating new revenue streams and opportunities for energy access providers.
The full report is available for free download here.
Executive Summary:
Around the world, people are realizing that fire-based cooking is neither good for the cooker nor for the climate. As urban centers with natural gas infrastructure grapple with transitioning off fossil fuels for cooking, over 2.8 billion people are still relying on biomass or kerosene to cook. Traditional cooking fuels are often expensive, bad for people’s health, and bad for the environment. “Black carbon” soot from cooking smoke lands on glaciers and lodges deep in people’s lungs. The tiny particles accelerate climate change and kill millions of people—mostly women—each year.
Global “clean cooking” efforts have focused on improved cookstoves, biomass briquettes, and expansion of LPG. However, clean cooking has lagged significantly compared to the need, and the solutions have often not fully solved the problems. Recent initiatives focusing on electric cooking are a welcome shift. For too long access to electricity and access to improved cooking technology have been siloed. Combining the two issues has the potential to more effectively meet people’s basic needs while boosting the business model for solar-powered electricity systems in remote communities.
This study explores the potential of electric cooking in rural Haiti by deploying electric pressure cookers and induction stoves with integrated smart meters in 20 households connected to a community scale solar PV microgrid as well as cookers and stoves supported by stand-alone solar+battery systems in 8 off-grid households. Overall, the pilot project has showcased the value of electric cooking for both local communities and microgrid operators. Key findings indicate that electric cooking in this context is a:
EarthSpark is delighted to announce the release of "Kwison Elektrik: Solar Power for Electricity Access and Electric Cooking in Haiti." The report, in partnership with SUNSPOT™ and with the UK Government's Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) program details the pilot project
A research project in rural Haiti demonstrates the effectiveness of electric cooking technologies powered by solar microgrids to improve the quality of life for community members while generating new revenue streams and opportunities for energy access providers.
The full report is available for free download here.
Executive Summary:
Around the world, people are realizing that fire-based cooking is neither good for the cooker nor for the climate. As urban centers with natural gas infrastructure grapple with transitioning off fossil fuels for cooking, over 2.8 billion people are still relying on biomass or kerosene to cook. Traditional cooking fuels are often expensive, bad for people’s health, and bad for the environment. “Black carbon” soot from cooking smoke lands on glaciers and lodges deep in people’s lungs. The tiny particles accelerate climate change and kill millions of people—mostly women—each year.
Global “clean cooking” efforts have focused on improved cookstoves, biomass briquettes, and expansion of LPG. However, clean cooking has lagged significantly compared to the need, and the solutions have often not fully solved the problems. Recent initiatives focusing on electric cooking are a welcome shift. For too long access to electricity and access to improved cooking technology have been siloed. Combining the two issues has the potential to more effectively meet people’s basic needs while boosting the business model for solar-powered electricity systems in remote communities.
This study explores the potential of electric cooking in rural Haiti by deploying electric pressure cookers and induction stoves with integrated smart meters in 20 households connected to a community scale solar PV microgrid as well as cookers and stoves supported by stand-alone solar+battery systems in 8 off-grid households. Overall, the pilot project has showcased the value of electric cooking for both local communities and microgrid operators. Key findings indicate that electric cooking in this context is a:
- Catalyst for improved quality of life – Participants’ primary observation was the time savings and convenience of electric cooking compared to traditional fuels. Indicative willingness to pay values for most participants met or exceeded existing microgrid tariffs which highlights the opportunity for electric cooking to support improved livelihoods for vulnerable households. The electric cooking deployments also significantly reduce the risk of household air pollution.
- Risk and opportunity for microgrid operators – Electric cooking requires significantly more energy than what most “energy access” microgrids have been designed to deliver. This is both a challenge and an enormous opportunity for microgrid developers. The significant new revenue stream may be an incentive to build more robust infrastructure which, in turn, delivers additional benefits to the community and operator. That cooking in Haiti coincides with mid-day solar availability enhances the potential economics.
- Opportunity for smart incentives – Results-based financing and other smart incentives could specifically connect clean cooking to other sustainable development goals, especially food security, energy access, poverty alleviation, and health. This deliberate connection could help to catalyze and coordinate investments and service delivery to target communities.
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Today is Independence Day in Haiti, commemorating the Declaration of Independence in 1804 which concluded the first and only successful state-scale black slave rebellion of the colonial era.
To celebrate, many families in Haiti and around the world will be celebrating with a soup. The hearty squash-based soup joumou was profiled in the New York Times this week as a symbol of nourishment, generosity, family, pride, racial equality, history, and aspirations, all stewed together and eaten in community. In Les Anglais this year, Marie André will be cooking soup joumou in her electric kitchen with microgrid electricity powered by the sun. She came to the clean energy store today to top up her electricity account before the holiday and kindly agreed to pile up her soup ingredients for this photo.
To celebrate, many families in Haiti and around the world will be celebrating with a soup. The hearty squash-based soup joumou was profiled in the New York Times this week as a symbol of nourishment, generosity, family, pride, racial equality, history, and aspirations, all stewed together and eaten in community. In Les Anglais this year, Marie André will be cooking soup joumou in her electric kitchen with microgrid electricity powered by the sun. She came to the clean energy store today to top up her electricity account before the holiday and kindly agreed to pile up her soup ingredients for this photo.
“Anyone who is against oppression and stands for justice and freedom for all people should be proud, and celebrate that first victory for enslaved Africans against their oppressors,” Manie Chery, creator of the popular “Love for Haitian Food” website and YouTube channel told the Times. We were thrilled to see Ms. Chery post her own electric cooking Soup Joumou recipe today : Instant Pot Soup Joumou (!)
How will the two electric cooking soups compare? We’ll need to wait for some comparative taste test results to find out!
In the meantime, we are sending you warm wishes for good health, happiness, and great progress toward realizing shared dreams in 2021.
To continued revolution and renewal towards a better world for all,
The EarthSpark and Enèji Pwòp teams
This post is an adaptation of an EarthSpark International newsletter. Sign up here to stay plugged in to EarthSpark's ongoing participatory clean energy work in Haiti.
How will the two electric cooking soups compare? We’ll need to wait for some comparative taste test results to find out!
In the meantime, we are sending you warm wishes for good health, happiness, and great progress toward realizing shared dreams in 2021.
To continued revolution and renewal towards a better world for all,
The EarthSpark and Enèji Pwòp teams
This post is an adaptation of an EarthSpark International newsletter. Sign up here to stay plugged in to EarthSpark's ongoing participatory clean energy work in Haiti.
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When Madame Agatte woke up in the middle of the night feeling sick last month, she also felt a sense of relief.
To make an herbal tea - which would have taken her nearly an hour with her charcoal stove - she didn't need to go outside and light a fire. Madame Agatte went to her newly electric kitchen, boiled water, and 10 minutes later was sipping a soothing drink.
Madame Agatte is one of the participants in EarthSpark's electrification of cooking pilot program in Les Anglais. Through this project 29 households are now using electric pressure cookers and induction stoves to cook meals for over 120 people. Each of the households have participated in hands-on trainings with the devices. After one month of electric cooking, participants are excited about the benefits and opportunities of electric cooking:
Click here to see the tea recipe and Madame Agatte's black bean sauce recipe!
EarthSpark and the study participants will track cooking trends and attitudes over the next few months. This will help create a strong evidence-base for expanding opportunities for clean electric cooking in other communities in Haiti and around the world. Keep an eye out for upcoming reports and mini-documentaries on our clean cooking work!
What was the last new technology that you adopted, and how has it changed your life? EarthSpark's president, Allison Archambault's recently posted TEDx talk about our work in Haiti and her own adventures in electric cooking remind us that from Marie Agathe's kitchen to our own, we're all part of the energy transition currently underway. Climate change and social justice are inextricably linked, and we can all push for progress in many ways, wherever we are.
To make an herbal tea - which would have taken her nearly an hour with her charcoal stove - she didn't need to go outside and light a fire. Madame Agatte went to her newly electric kitchen, boiled water, and 10 minutes later was sipping a soothing drink.
Madame Agatte is one of the participants in EarthSpark's electrification of cooking pilot program in Les Anglais. Through this project 29 households are now using electric pressure cookers and induction stoves to cook meals for over 120 people. Each of the households have participated in hands-on trainings with the devices. After one month of electric cooking, participants are excited about the benefits and opportunities of electric cooking:
- Participants are reporting significantly faster cooking times, opening up more time for other activities like education, work, and also simply for leisure.
- Participants are saving money on charcoal and happy with the convenience of being able to cook indoors
- Participants are enjoying cooking without the harmful smoke that normally comes with cooking with charcoal and wood in traditional stoves
- Participants are surprised and pleased that they are able to cook their same traditional meals effectively with the new electric technology.
Click here to see the tea recipe and Madame Agatte's black bean sauce recipe!
EarthSpark and the study participants will track cooking trends and attitudes over the next few months. This will help create a strong evidence-base for expanding opportunities for clean electric cooking in other communities in Haiti and around the world. Keep an eye out for upcoming reports and mini-documentaries on our clean cooking work!
What was the last new technology that you adopted, and how has it changed your life? EarthSpark's president, Allison Archambault's recently posted TEDx talk about our work in Haiti and her own adventures in electric cooking remind us that from Marie Agathe's kitchen to our own, we're all part of the energy transition currently underway. Climate change and social justice are inextricably linked, and we can all push for progress in many ways, wherever we are.
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We are thrilled to share big news : EarthSpark has won the OPEC Fund Annual Prize for Development.
You read that right! The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has an affiliated development finance institution which has just selected EarthSpark’s work – including feminist electrification and our scale-up plans for 100% clean (read: fossil-fuel free) electricity systems – as THE work it wanted to highlight and support this year.
Watch the 1 minute video on EarthSpark The OPEC Fund created for the Award:
You read that right! The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has an affiliated development finance institution which has just selected EarthSpark’s work – including feminist electrification and our scale-up plans for 100% clean (read: fossil-fuel free) electricity systems – as THE work it wanted to highlight and support this year.
Watch the 1 minute video on EarthSpark The OPEC Fund created for the Award:
Are you feeling hopeful yet that the energy transition is possible?
Political, economic, and social systems are complex, of course, but when people (and what are institutions but the people within and around them?) decide to change course, we can.
Amidst all of the bad news this year, there are glimmers of great. Let us cultivate those glimmers of hope within ourselves and across all of the institutions we touch.
As we ride along together, finishing this year’s lap around the sun, let us think about our proximity to that star, about our interconnectedness to each other, and about our hopes and dreams for the years ahead.
Political, economic, and social systems are complex, of course, but when people (and what are institutions but the people within and around them?) decide to change course, we can.
Amidst all of the bad news this year, there are glimmers of great. Let us cultivate those glimmers of hope within ourselves and across all of the institutions we touch.
As we ride along together, finishing this year’s lap around the sun, let us think about our proximity to that star, about our interconnectedness to each other, and about our hopes and dreams for the years ahead.
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The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board approved EarthSpark's project "Scaling Smart, Solar, Energy Access Microgrids in Haiti" at the B.25 GCF Board meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 10-12 March 2020. To implement the project, EarthSpark has partnered with the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) which holds 'Accredited Entity' status with the GCF. The project will scale-up EarthSpark's solar-powered smart microgrid model to bring electricity to dozens more towns in rural Haiti.
The board approval is the result of over 3 years of EarthSpark's work towards this funding. It's a piece of a bigger, still-in-formation blended finance package that will bring individual donations, institutional grant funding, social impact investment, Haitian government support, and concessionary debt from development finance institutions together to cost-effectively expand clean, reliable electricity service in Haiti.
"For over 10 years, EarthSpark has been 'proving what is possible' for clean energy in Haiti and building the foundations for successful microgrids. We're thrilled to have found such a strong partner in NEFCO to help our team now scale up to bring clean, reliable electricity to many more towns," said Allison Archambault, President of EarthSpark. "The GCF funding will be transformative."
In October, GCF's independent Technical Advisory Panel assessed the project to have high impact across all six investment criteria. The project will expand on EarthSpark's two existing and successfully operating solar-powered minigrids with an additional 22 fully solar-powered mini-grids in rural areas of Haiti. In addition to the hard costs of infrastructure, the project includes strong livelihood support and gender components, building on EarthSpark's already successfully applied "Feminist Electrification" methodology for which EarthSpark won the international UNFCCC Momentum for Change award in 2018.
NEFCO will administer the Green Climate Fund's $9.9 million composed of a grant of $1.4 million and a subordinated loan of $8.5 million. The GCF financing, in turn, is expected to be catalytic in securing an impact equity investment of $1.3 million, co-financing of $8 million from results-based grants and debt from senior lenders totaling $23.6 million. This combined with EarthSpark's contribution of its own grid and operational assets, valued at $3 million, will finance the total capital investment of $45.8 million.
Ash Sharma, who led the transaction at NEFCO, stated, "Working with GCF's Private Sector Facility and our partners at EarthSpark, we aim to bring clean, reliable and affordable energy to 84,000 Haitians in the south of the country, mostly customers at the base of the pyramid, by installing 5.8 megawatts [of solar] across 22 mini-grids. These will generate climate change mitigation benefits of 10,700 tonnes CO2 emissions per annum." (See the NEFCO press release here.)
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Smart Solar Microgrid Illuminates a Path for Solar Power to Energize Rural Haiti
The Tiburon solar array enjoys a gorgeous view of the Caribbean sea.
[TIBURON, HAITI, Dec. 21]: EarthSpark International launched its second solar-powered microgrid in Haiti today. The system is the first community-power grid to be approved under Haiti’s new national regulatory body. Building on EarthSpark’s model of community-scale smart solar infrastructure, the grid will serve 500 homes and businesses with 24/7 electricity in Tiburon, a small fishing town in the southern peninsula. The launch marks a major step in mainstreaming microgrid power in Haiti.
“Microgrids hold enormous potential to quickly bring electricity to communities across rural Haiti. For 10 years now, EarthSpark and our Haitian affiliate Enèji Pwòp have been building a foundational track record of clean energy delivery in rural Haiti,” says Allison Archambault, President at EarthSpark International. “The launch of the Tiburon grid is a success story for multi-sector partnerships building a market that can scale-up to sustainably electrify the 70% of the Haitian population still living without electricity.”
To achieve the launch, EarthSpark worked closely not only with the community of Tiburon, but also with local and national elected officials, with the national regulatory authority, the national electricity company Électricité d’Haïti, the Haitian engineering firm DigitalKap, and with international stakeholders including the US Agency for International Development and the World Bank to inform practical and policy next steps.
"The government is committed to improving electricity access in rural regions by deploying smart microgrids in more than 51 sites. Today, with the collaboration of EarthSpark and Enèji Pwòp, we did it in Tiburon in the South Department. This is the first provisional license for a community microgrid ever signed by the regulatory authority for the energy sector," said Dr. Evenson Calixte, Director of the National Regulatory Authority (ANARSE).
In addition to being a point of progress for clarification in the legal and regulatory environment for energy in Haiti, the Tiburon grid also represents a point of resilience in the face of natural disasters. Tiburon was hit hard in 2016 by Hurricane Matthew. Though EarthSpark had already secured funding and local support for the grid, the storm brought down pre-existing poles and wires. USAID and the Haitian government provided support to rebuild the distribution system and to complete the full construction of the grid.
The Tiburon grid is a 95kW solar smart grid that offers a clean, 24-hour, and affordable electricity for homes and businesses which had never before had access to reliable grid electricity. The grid has a backup diesel genset – the last genset EarthSpark will install as it transitions to 100% solar power for future grids. Customers, energy vendors, and grid managers interact with the grid through the SparkMeter utility interface which enables pre-payment billing, load management, and theft detection to ensure efficient operations.
EarthSpark’s microgrids directly achieve the United Nation’s seventh Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), affordable and clean energy, while unlocking opportunities to progress all 17 goals including:
As of today, residents of Tiburon will join a small handful of communities in the Caribbean nation with reliable 24-hour electricity. The grid was funded primarily by the OPEC Fund for International Development with additional support from USAID, The Pan-American Development Foundation, the Organization of American States, and individual donors.
To see events from the launch, customer profiles and more, follow us on Facebook and Twitter at @EarthSparkIntl.
“Microgrids hold enormous potential to quickly bring electricity to communities across rural Haiti. For 10 years now, EarthSpark and our Haitian affiliate Enèji Pwòp have been building a foundational track record of clean energy delivery in rural Haiti,” says Allison Archambault, President at EarthSpark International. “The launch of the Tiburon grid is a success story for multi-sector partnerships building a market that can scale-up to sustainably electrify the 70% of the Haitian population still living without electricity.”
To achieve the launch, EarthSpark worked closely not only with the community of Tiburon, but also with local and national elected officials, with the national regulatory authority, the national electricity company Électricité d’Haïti, the Haitian engineering firm DigitalKap, and with international stakeholders including the US Agency for International Development and the World Bank to inform practical and policy next steps.
"The government is committed to improving electricity access in rural regions by deploying smart microgrids in more than 51 sites. Today, with the collaboration of EarthSpark and Enèji Pwòp, we did it in Tiburon in the South Department. This is the first provisional license for a community microgrid ever signed by the regulatory authority for the energy sector," said Dr. Evenson Calixte, Director of the National Regulatory Authority (ANARSE).
In addition to being a point of progress for clarification in the legal and regulatory environment for energy in Haiti, the Tiburon grid also represents a point of resilience in the face of natural disasters. Tiburon was hit hard in 2016 by Hurricane Matthew. Though EarthSpark had already secured funding and local support for the grid, the storm brought down pre-existing poles and wires. USAID and the Haitian government provided support to rebuild the distribution system and to complete the full construction of the grid.
The Tiburon grid is a 95kW solar smart grid that offers a clean, 24-hour, and affordable electricity for homes and businesses which had never before had access to reliable grid electricity. The grid has a backup diesel genset – the last genset EarthSpark will install as it transitions to 100% solar power for future grids. Customers, energy vendors, and grid managers interact with the grid through the SparkMeter utility interface which enables pre-payment billing, load management, and theft detection to ensure efficient operations.
EarthSpark’s microgrids directly achieve the United Nation’s seventh Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), affordable and clean energy, while unlocking opportunities to progress all 17 goals including:
- SDG 1 No Poverty: Residential customers save up to 80% and commercial customers save up to 50% on pre-grid energy expenses (ie. candles, kerosene, and diesel).
- SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being: Electricity displaces fuels like candles, kerosene, and some charcoal which release harmful air pollutants which contribute to causing respiratory health diseases especially for women.
- SDG 11/13 Sustainable Cities and Communities/Climate Action: Clean and decentralized microgrids build economic and climate resilience in Haiti’s most climate vulnerable communities.
- SDG 16 Peace and Justice Strong Institutions: The first microgrid authorized by the Government of Haiti’s new regulator created to reform energy in Haiti, including the promotion of private microgrid development.
As of today, residents of Tiburon will join a small handful of communities in the Caribbean nation with reliable 24-hour electricity. The grid was funded primarily by the OPEC Fund for International Development with additional support from USAID, The Pan-American Development Foundation, the Organization of American States, and individual donors.
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