Case Study
Powering a Community: Renewvia Energy's Kakuma–Kalobeyei Mini-Grid
From a 60 kW pilot to a landmark 2.5 MW expansion — bringing clean, reliable electricity to over 100,000 people in one of Africa's largest refugee settlements.
Published
April 28, 2026
Countries
- Kenya
Partners
- Renewvia Energy
From a 60 kW pilot to a landmark 2.5 MW expansion — bringing clean, reliable electricity to over 100,000 people in one of Africa's largest refugee settlements.
Background
The Kakuma–Kalobeyei settlement in northwestern Kenya is one of the largest refugee communities in the world. Originally established in 1992, it now hosts more than 320,000 people — a scale that makes it a uniquely complex environment for infrastructure development.
Before Renewvia Energy's arrival, access to electricity was extremely limited. The few available sources were informal generator mini-grids providing power for only a few hours a day at prohibitive cost. Most households and businesses relied on charcoal for cooking and kerosene for lighting — expensive, unhealthy, and environmentally harmful.
The Intervention
In 2019, Renewvia Energy launched a 60 kW solar mini-grid pilot in Kakuma to test whether sustainable, commercial-grade electricity infrastructure could work in a refugee context. The pilot proved the model. The system grew steadily to 541 kW, powering over 3,000 homes and businesses.
With support from the CEI Africa Foundation — through the €54 million Smart Outcomes Fund (SOF), where GreenMax Capital Group leads implementation of grant and concessional debt products — Renewvia is now expanding to 2.5 MW. The expansion will add 15,600 new connections and deliver clean
electricity to over 100,000 people, positioning the Kakuma mini-grid as one of the largest private mini-grids in Africa.
"This year with funding from CEI Africa Foundation, we are expanding to 2.5 MW. We're going to connect an additional 15,600 connections — homes and businesses all over the camp. It looks like it will be the largest mini-grid of its kind in all of Africa." — Douglas Cox, Director of African Project Development, Renewvia Energy
Impact on the Ground
The change in daily life has been immediate and visible. Businesses that once relied on manual labor or costly generators are running modern equipment. Households that lived by candlelight can now power televisions, charge phones, and cook with electricity.
Damier Lwamonga, Manager – Zoe Furniture Zoe Furniture once struggled with manual cutting and woodworking. With reliable electricity, the shop now runs modern tools, has increased output, and can take on larger orders.
Mwangaza Florence, Kalobeyei Resident & Shopkeeper "Before we had electricity, using charcoal was difficult, and prices increased especially during the rainy season. But when we got electricity, everything changed. Our children can now watch television. We can charge our phones and cook using electricity."
Jean Banywesize, Manager – Peace House Peace House, a tailoring business, upgraded from foot-pedal machines to modern industrial equipment, dramatically increasing daily output. "This electricity is very affordable. For only 500 Kenyan shillings, we get power that lasts all day."
Jarnot Nderea, Shopkeeper & Entrepreneur Jarnot runs a shop with a fridge, a freezer, and a water-making machine — all powered by Renewvia. "Before Renewvia, drinks like yogurt and milk used to spoil. And now that Renewvia has come with enough power, business is doing well and soft drinks are selling fast."
Filomena Kigwa, Salon Manager "Electricity has really helped our business grow. We now get more customers at the salon and all our machines are working. Unlike before — relying on generators was a big struggle."
Why It Matters
The Renewvia–Kakuma project is a proof of concept for blended finance in frontier contexts. By pairing Renewvia's commercial mini-grid expertise with concessional capital from the CEI Africa Smart Outcomes Fund, the partnership demonstrates that private energy infrastructure can be financially viable — and socially transformative — even in the most historically underserved settings.
The project reflects GreenMax Capital Group's core mandate: deploying innovative financial instruments to crowd in private investment and deliver measurable impact across Africa.