After three years of development on the Red Island, WeLight is making its first foray into continental Africa.Indeed, in early 2022, WeLight launched its operations in Mali through the electrification of five villages in southern Mali.WeLight's mini-grid solutions are based on renewable energy.They bring together a solar production and battery storage plant installed near the village, a distribution network covering a large proportion of the households of the village concerned, but also connections and prepaid electricity meters installed in each household, associated with a system of mobile money payment.“Village electrification involves the installation of five solar power plants with an average capacity of 35kW each, as well as associated distribution networks.Today, 500 homes and businesses are already benefiting from the energy that WeLight produces.This represents more than 5,000 beneficiaries who have access to quality electricity 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” explains Romain de Villeneuve, CEO of WeLight since 2020.This initiative covers the energy needs of villagers and small businesses, with 220V or 400V three-phase current (up to 10kW).At the same time, WeLight provides free access to electricity to public buildings (town halls, schools, health centers, etc.) as well as public lighting throughout the village.Mali, where the country's level of electrification remains remarkably low (it is around 41% nationally and only 17% in rural areas, editor's note) is a first step in setting up on the continent.“The electricity coverage rate in Mali is still insufficient due to an infrastructure deficit and sustained population growth.Malians really need electricity, a sine qua non for economic development.WeLight wishes to respond to this need despite the relative political instability.This is our mission,” says Romain de Villeneuve.The power plants installed by WeLight are distributed in the villages of Karan and Sirakorola located in the Koulikoro region, Dougouolo and Bénéna in the Ségou region and Dabia in the Kayes region."Our strategy in Mali is based on a first test with 5 to 10 villages in order to gain experience in this unique market, to better understand the specific expectations of Malian families and rural entrepreneurs, to consolidate relations with public partners and finally , to identify opportunities for growth in an acceptable security and economic environment.We plan to finalize this phase in the coming months to deploy a new phase of deployment of our solutions in around thirty additional villages,” explains the managing director of the pan-African company.Beyond the sole supply of electricity, WeLight supports the development of productive activities and local businesses, by providing a complete ecosystem: microfinance, training of entrepreneurs, provision of specific electrical equipment, electrification of municipal buildings, public lighting and social support.The villages benefiting from these facilities were identified by geomarketing teams before conducting field surveys involving the local authorities.In addition, individual surveys are also carried out through a representative sample of households, businesses and community buildings.Finally, a step of "datamining" of the data collected with an optimized layout of the power line is carried out."Thanks to an approach developed in-house, we analyze the data collected in the field, we categorize the entire population and relate them to predefined energy consumption profiles in order to determine the capacity of the plant", adds Romain de Villeneuve. .With the ambition to reach 200 electrified villages in Madagascar and 50 villages in Mali by 2024, WeLight now has 40 electrified villages in Africa, including 35 in Madagascar and 5 in Mali.In figures, WeLight is 3.6 MWh of storage, 720 kWp of photovoltaic capacity, 2x60kW in hydroelectricity, but also 65 km of low voltage three-phase line and 5 km of 20kV voltage line.To date, the various WeLight projects have impacted more than 150,000 beneficiaries, including 35,000 people who benefit from productive electricity on a daily basis, 150 industrial entrepreneurs and more than 1,000 connected businesses.“The arrival of electricity in 40 villages has also enabled more than 500 households to expand their economic activities and benefit from new sources of income.Our services contribute to making women's daily lives easier, as they improve security in the villages thanks to night lighting, study conditions for children are facilitated, sanitary conditions improved.There are more than 500 women entrepreneurs who have seen their activities develop significantly”, specifies the general manager of the company.Beyond the economic side, in terms of social and environmental impacts, WeLight has enabled more than 120 community buildings to be connected, including 45 public schools and 25 health centers, 450 refrigerators to be powered, 400 streetlights public lighting to be connected, while saving 600 tonnes of CO2 emissions.After Madagascar and Mali, WeLight could eventually be interested in new establishments on the African continent.Last step: confirm your registration in the email you have just received.Remember to check your junk mail.See you very soon on the La Tribune website and in our newsletters, La Tribune editorial staff.See you very soon on the La Tribune website and in our newsletters, La Tribune editorial staff.Discover all of La Tribune's newsletters The editorial staff of La TribuneAn email containing your login information has been sent.See you very soon on the La Tribune website and in our newsletters, La Tribune editorial staff.In Namibia, oil discoveries estimated at billions of barrels (4)Economic war in Africa: France, Russia, China, United States… The law of the softest?(4)Benin: arrest of 456 cybercriminals in less than two months (2)E-commerce: with eWTP Africa, Alibaba makes Rwanda the first African country on its global 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