Mbissa Energy Systems was a BIG Pitch Competition registrant in 2015 with the solution Mbissa Wind Energy. The startup develops, deploys, and provides training in locally sustainable energy technology, for a sustainable off-grid electrical infrastructure in rural Africa.
Wooden wind turbine construction.
Startup founder Caleb Grove is a graduate of University of New Brunswick in Canada. In the currently active pilot project, solar panels supplement locally manufactured wind turbines to provide power to a community center and health clinic in Mbissa, in the region of Bambalang, Cameroon. This consistent power also provides a charging station that the surrounding community can access. People can use the charging station for a small fee to charge cell phones, radios and batteries which they can then take home.
When Mbissa Wind Energy is installing the systems, the turbines are partially subsidized by raised funding (half the costs) and the remaining costs are paid for by affected communities. Local business, however, will fully recoup the costs of installations along with a profit before selling electricity for the local going rate.
This model of electricity access is now being tested in three additional compounds, and technical training of community members is ongoing. Caleb says “The full payback time for a system is about 7 months, so I'm hoping to validate the model in about a year's time. The training has been going well and the foundation is there for work sometime early 2016!”
Founder Caleb Grove with community members in Mbissa.
The ultimate goal is for locals to be trained to maintain the system on an ongoing basis. By empowering people with knowledge and tools to manage their energy access, Mbissa Wind Energy contributes towards breaking the cycle of poverty in rural Africa. The startup was recently featured in the University of New Brunswick Newsroom blog.
Photos provided by Caleb Grove.
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