PV Tech - A2E Fund

Chulaimbo Hospital is a Level 4 facility located in western Kenya, serving a large population and six neighboring hospitals that rely on its services. The region faces frequent power outages and weak infrastructure, severely affecting healthcare delivery. Unstable electricity disrupts critical medical operations, compromises patient safety, and limits access to consistent, quality healthcare in rural communities with limited resources.

Kenya
Chulaimbo, Kisumu County

The project aims to install a solar power system with battery storage to provide uninterrupted electricity to five key areas of Chulaimbo Hospital: the Maternity Wing, Operating Theatre, Laboratory, Vaccine Storage, and Administration/Data Systems. This renewable energy solution will reduce dependence on Kenya’s unreliable national grid and costly diesel generators. The project design was developed through consultations with hospital leadership, staff, local health authorities, and community representatives to ensure ownership and long-term sustainability.

Capacity-building is at the heart of the initiative, offering specialized training for hospital maintenance staff on system operation and troubleshooting. As a teaching hospital, Chulaimbo will also integrate renewable energy management into its medical training, promoting awareness of sustainable healthcare infrastructure. This initiative serves as a replicable model for other rural hospitals in Kenya and East Africa, showing how renewable energy can strengthen healthcare systems, improve financial stability, and support climate-resilient development.
 

Expected outputs:

• Installation of a fully operational solar power system powering five critical hospital areas (Maternity, Theatre, Lab, Vaccine Storage, Administration)
• Stable power for three vaccine refrigeration units, protecting essential immunization services
• Reliable energy for training spaces, medical students, and interns
• 10 staff (including a technician) trained in operation, safety, and maintenance
• Employment of at least 8 local workers during installation, generating short-term income and stimulating the local economy
• Training of at least 3 local youth/apprentice technicians in PV assembly, wiring, safety, and troubleshooting, building skills for future green energy jobs
• Improved service delivery with fewer delays, safer procedures, and enhanced maternal and child health
• Better patient outcomes through strengthened emergency, maternal, and vaccine services
• Enhanced learning environment for medical students and interns
• Reduced dependence on diesel and unreliable grid power
• Increased staff ownership, confidence, and sustainability through local skills and knowledge
• Creation of local green jobs, technical skill development, and community empowerment