Maputo, Mozambique, 23 March – Eleven villages and administrative posts in Mozambique’s Inhambane province now have electricity provided by solar panels as part of a programme funded by the Spanish government with 1 million euros, according to a report in Mozambican newspaper, Notícias.

Speaking to the newspaper, Miquelina Meneses, the chair of the National Fund for Energy (Funae), said that the equipment provided by Spain was already in Mozambique and in total, this year, 40 locations would be provided with electricity.

Funae, which was set up by the government on 22 July, 1997 with the aim of providing electricity to rural areas and in all locations not reached by the expansion of the national electricity grid, has been funding projects in the sector based on solar systems, biomass, wind, generators and water energy.

Using these sources schools, health centres, the headquarters of administrative posts, the homes of teachers’ and hospital staff and even some private facilities are provided with electricity.

Since it was set up Funae has carried out over 400 projects, at a total cost of US$20 million, which have made it possible to provide 1.2 million people in rural areas with access to renewable energy sources in Mozambique. (macauhub)