Table 1 Selection of initiatives on small hydropower in Africa

Location Project Implementer Description Important component
East Africa Greening the tea industry UNEP/GEF Small hydro plants at tea factories, including rural electrification component Linking rural electrification with existing industrial activity
Kenya Tungu-Kabiri hydro project Practical Action / UNDP/GEF-SGP Community owned system to power micro enterprises centre Legislative framework prohibited connection of households
Rural Energy Access Model GPower 11 small hydro plants initially off-grid, later to be interconnected. Includes local turbine production Long term planning, integration with grid, part of larger development plan, local turbine manufacturing
Malawi. Mozambique, Zimbabwe Catalysing Modern Energy Service Delivery to Marginal Communities in Southern Africa Practical Action/EU Rehabilitating existing systems, development of local/regional capacity Inclusion of capacity building component
Mozambique Access to modern energy services GIZ Rehabilitation of microhydro mills Direct link with productive use
Nigeria UNIDO Regional Centre for Small Hydro Power, Abuja UNIDO National and regional capacity building Capacity building, linkages with International Centre for Small Hydro Power, Hangzhou, China. Current status unclear
Rwanda Energizing Development GTZ Support to private sector to develop hydroplants Need to incorporate requirements of financial sector
Rural energy development in Rwanda UNIDO Rural energy development Learning-by-doing project – increased role of private sector in construction and O&M
Tanzania Kinko Village hydro, Lushoto UNIDO/ MoEM/ TANESCO/ TaTEDO Establishment of village hydro scheme Integration of productive uses (grain milling and ICT centre)
South Africa Bethlehem hydro NuPlanet 7MW capacity at Sol Plaatje and Merino sites CDM project
Uganda Kisiizi Hospital hydropower Kisiizi Hospital Power Limited 300 kW crossflow turbine serving hospital and local community Hospital as anchor client
West Africa (Cameroon, Mali, Central African Republic, DRC, Gabon, Congo, Rwanda, Equatorial Guinea, Togo and Benin) First regional micro/mini-hydropower capacity development and investment in rural electricity access UNDP/GEF Regional integration project aiming at developing 36 small hydropower stations. Included a network on small hydropower. Establishment of regional network. PLEASE NOTE: project cancelled.