The world''s newest country is now home to an innovative sustainable farming project powered by minigrids.
South Sudan, which earned its independence from Sudan in 2011, has a population of about 12 million people, most of whom live in rural areas. Thanks to ongoing civil unrest and the impacts of climate change, Unicef reports that hunger and malnutrition are common across the country, with upwards of two-thirds of the population facing food insecurity this year.
To combat this hunger crisis, Seeding Mercy International (SMI) has partnered with Sunnova Energy International to give rural communities the tools they need to feed themselves, including minigrid technology to power off-grid irrigation systems.
Established in 2017, SMI was granted 10,000 acres of land from the South Sudanese government to create what the nonprofit calls a "renewable and agricultural ''micro democracy''" in the country.
To date, SMI has recruited 1,000 client farmers across five villages, providing them with the land, as well as the training and the tools necessary to manage the farms sustainably. Ninety percent of SMI''s client farmers are women.
One of the tools provided to the farmers is solar minigrid technology from Sunnova, which is being used to power off-grid irrigation systems at three newly established farms in Aweil, South Sudan.
Minigrids, which are sometimes referred to as remote microgrids, are typically used in remote areas that do not have access to a central grid.
Sunnova, a U.S.-based energy-as-a-service provider, donated portable solar systems and irrigation pumps. The company''s microgrid team designed the minigrid systems specifically for lowland and highland crop irrigation, as well as portability, durability and independence for the farmers.
"We worked with SMI to simulate, plan and execute a replicable farming program from site selection, planting, irrigating, harvesting to replanting," said Adam Miller, vice president of microgrids for Sunnova.
"This collaboration goes beyond merely providing solar solutions; it strives to empower the community itself," said Aken Tong, chief executive officer of SMI.
SMI utilizes what it calls a "feed-forward" business model. In exchange for the land, tools and training, the farmers share a portion of their profits with the organization. Those funds are then reinvested to expand the program into other communities.
Since December 2022, the three farms have planted, harvested and sold 370 baskets of crops, earning US$24,000 of income. Crops include onions, okra, kale, kusamawiki and kudhura.
Because of the high demand for food in the area, minimal crop storage and transportation is required.
"By joining forces, Sunnova and SMI are spearheading a movement towards sustainable and decentralized energy resources, fostering the growth of new enterprises and improving people''s lives," said John Berger, CEO of Sunnova.
The solar-powered irrigation systems, which were installed by SMI, displaced what would have otherwise been diesel generators.
"By harnessing clean and renewable energy, we have reduced our dependency on scarcely available fossil fuels and have also ensured sustainable irrigation practices, even in remote regions — the first of its kind to be deployed in South Sudan," Tong said.
One day, SMI hopes to integrate microgrids into the system, which would enable the farmers to use excess energy from the solar minigrids to power crop storage and cooling facilities as well as fulfill other community needs around education and health.
The SMI and Sunnova collaboration in South Sudan isn''t the only minigrid project in Africa. The Distributed Renewable Energy – Agriculture Modalities, or DREAM initiative, is using minigrids to power irrigation systems in Ethiopia, while Husk Power is also deploying community minigrids in rural sub-Saharan Africa.
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I work as a writer and special projects editor for Microgrid Knowledge. I have over 30 years of writing experience, working with a variety of companies in the renewable energy, electric vehicle and utility sector, as well as those in the entertainment, education, and financial industries. I have a BFA in Media Arts from the University of Arizona and a MBA from the University of Denver.
In September 2022, SunGate Solar and its partners, Humanitarian Grand Challenges, Village Help for South Sudan, Dunn Family Charitable Foundation, EarthSpark International, and PowerGen launched South Sudan''s first solar microgrid in the rural market town of Wanyjok combining a solar array (55 kWp), battery storage (84 kWh/36kVA), and a diesel genset (66 kVA) to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable electricity access to the downtown area.
The initial microgrid is serving 164 connections (~1000 people), the majority of which are small businesses and institutions including pharmacies, health clinics, computer/printing centers, retail stores, and restaurants. This life-changing access to electricity has improved the adaptive capacity and resilience of the community and particularly its business / institutional customers primarily by reducing baseline energy expenditures from unreliable and costly diesel generators and increasing opportunities for local enterprises.
highlighted no change or a decrease in energy expenses
highlighted improvements in business operations
Clients community was now a safer place due to the microgrid service.
Clients suggested expansion to more customers and communities.
More broadly, the lives of the entire community of Wanyjok (~20,000 people) have also been improved from the microgrid power, particularly through the street lighting for the downtown market area. Healthcare has improved due to access to reliable electricity, local entertainment businesses are opening later into the night and earlier in the day, and people are feeling more secure with a well-lit marketplace. All of this helps to bolster community resilience and socio-economic development.
Overall, the successful microgrid project in Wanyjok has created developed a highly replicable and scalable model for addressing energy poverty and South Sudan. This initial model also provides a key foundation to explore how strategic electricity access coupled with focused support for enterprise and community development can build resilience for communities, households, and businesses.
SunGate is now working with regional governments to develop additional microgrids as well as scale to much larger "metrogrids" to serve regional capitals.
Daniel Koch, Owner, Sahara Computer Center.
Photo Credit: Chris Houston
The instability of South Sudan has hindered investment in energy infrastructure, stifling economic development, and increasing poverty. Only costly diesel-based energy sources are available to meet energy needs, however, 80% of South Sudanese live below the poverty line and cannot afford this option. Without reliable and affordable power, businesses, schools, and hospitals cannot effectively provide goods and services to their community.
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