The Solar Electricity for Small-Scale Sugarcane Growers project will install five grid-tied solar PV mini-grids, each with about 1.5 MW capacity, to serve 7,500 hectares of irrigated sugarcane farms in Eswatini. The EUR 5.5 million initiative aims to reduce farms’ use of coal-derived electricity by about 50%, cutting an estimated 22,140 tCO2e annually and lowering production costs. It will benefit about 3,750 farming households, or 15,000 people, while prioritising women in technical training. Surplus power may be sold to the national grid, diversifying farmer income and supporting energy security. Activities include capacity building, feasibility and design studies, land preparation, installation, operation and maintenance. Led by ESA, ECGA and farmer organisations, the project will demonstrate a scalable renewable-energy business model, strengthen local skills, improve sugar-sector competitiveness and advance Eswatini’s renewable-energy, climate and development commitments.
Project overview
Investment opportunity
Investment types sought
Project status
Development stage
Pre-feasibility
Additional project information
- Lead agency
- Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy
Expected impact
150
Jobs created / supported
Economic & development benefits
- The project will lower irrigation energy costs for small-scale sugarcane growers, improving farm profitability and competitiveness while reducing exposure to imported electricity prices
- Five solar mini-grids with 7.5 MW total capacity will serve about 7,500 hectares of irrigated cane
- Approximately 3,750 farming households, or 15,000 people, are expected to benefit, including an estimated 7,500 women and girls
- Participating farms could collectively save about EUR 0.75 million annually
- Additional income may be generated by selling surplus solar electricity to the national grid
- The project will strengthen energy security, support technology transfer, build local skills in solar operation and maintenance, and create an estimated four full-time operational jobs
- Women will be prioritised for technical training
- A revolving fund financed from energy savings and electricity sales is proposed to support maintenance, long-term sustainability and expansion to other farms and sectors
Climate & resilience benefits
- In the short term, the project will replace about 22,500 MWh of mainly coal-derived electricity each year with solar power across 7,500 hectares of irrigated sugarcane farms
- This is expected to reduce emissions by approximately 22,140 tCO2e annually while demonstrating reliable, lower-carbon irrigation
- In the long term, the five solar mini-grids, with 7.5 MW total capacity, will reduce dependence on imported electricity, strengthen national energy security and support Eswatini’s transition to renewable energy
- Lower and more predictable energy costs will improve the financial resilience of small-scale growers facing rainfall variability, drought and rising production costs
- Grid-connected systems will retain backup power during cloudy periods, while potential sales of surplus electricity will diversify farm income
- Training, local maintenance capacity and a proposed revolving fund will support continued operation, replication and climate-resilient rural development
Contact
Contact team
For more information about this project, please contact the Commonwealth Investment Platform team.