First Mega-Watt Scale PV Solar-Electric Plant in Rwanda

Shanghai, China — BYD Company Ltd has just shipped Rwanda’s first photovoltaic solar energy system. The 8.58 Megawatt plant is expected to increase Rwanda’s total electrical generation by at least 8%, and it’s all renewable clean energy. The project is part of a plan to increase Rwanda’s renewable energy capacity by 500% in the immediate future.

Located about 60 kilometers from the Rwandan capital of Kigale, the plant will be built on land belonging to the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV). The plant is to be constructed by Norway’s Scatec Solar, with an expected completion mid-summer 2014. It is estimated that once complete, the plant will generate 16 million kilowatt-hours of clean solar energy each year. The Rwanda Energy, Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA) has signed a 25-year purchase agreement for energy from the plant. BYD is actively participating in the rapid development of the global PV market and has supplied Scatec Solar with modules since 2012 including a 75 megawatt project in Kalkbult, South Africa.

Being one of Africa’s strongest emerging markets, Rwanda is aiming to increase the country’s generation capacity so that more than 50% of the population will have access to electricity by 2017. This means increasing current capacity from 110MW to 560MW. Tom Zhao, General Manager of BYD’s Solar Energy division said “BYD is seeking to expand business throughout Africa which has the world’s best solar resources.”

BYD Company Ltd. is one of China’s largest companies and has successfully expanded globally. Specializing in battery technologies, their green mission to “solve the whole problem” has made them industry pioneers and leaders in several High-tech sectors including High-efficiency Automobiles, Electrified Public Transportation, Environmentally-Friendly Energy Storage, Affordable Solar Power and Information Technology and Original Design Manufacturing (ODM) services.

As the world’s largest manufacturer of rechargeable batteries, their mission to create safer and more environmentally friendly battery technologies has led to the development of the BYD Iron Phosphate (or “Fe”) Battery. This fire-safe, completely recyclable and incredibly long-cycle technology has become the core of their clean energy platform that has expanded into automobiles, buses, trucks, utility vehicles and energy storage facilities. BYD and all of their shareholders, including the great American Investor Warren Buffett, see these environmentally and economically forward products as the way of the future.

BYD has made a strong entrance to the North, Central and South American markets with their battery electric buses, and lineup of automobiles. Their mission lies not just in sales growth, but also in sociological integration and local job creation as they have poured incredible investments into developing offices, dealerships and manufacturing facilities in the local communities they now call home, truly a first for Chinese companies. For more information, please visitwww.byd.com