The Zanzibar Clean and Renewable Energy Park project (“ZCREP” or “Project”) on Unguja Island in the Zanzibar Archipelago will address two of Zanzibar’s most pressing issues: access to clean, reliable power and the growing problem of municipal solid waste (“MSW”) disposal. It aims to consume 300 tons of that MSW per day, reducing the stress on the Kibele landfill, the island’s only dedicated receptacle for waste, while drastically reducing their reliance on a single 100-megawatt (“MW”) submarine cable from mainland Tanzania, which is currently its sole source of power and is routinely operated at greater than 90% of its capacity during periods of peak demand on the island. Astra intends to own and operate the Project as an independent power producer, selling the 50 MW of clean and renewable energy to the Zanzibar Electricity Corporation, Zanzibar’s state-owned utility, via a long-term power purchase agreement.

 

ZCREP will sit on 207 acres of land secured by a 33-year renewable lease with the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar and will comprise of 42.5 MW of solar generation, coupled with Astra’s proprietary Regreen waste-to-energy technology, which will generate the remaining 7.5 MW and create marketable revenue-generating by-products. Astra also plans to deploy Holcomb Energy Systems’ cutting-edge In-Line Power Generator to amplify the project’s output, while also including a battery energy storage system, a much-needed source of grid stability.

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The Zanzibar Clean and Renewable Energy Park Project is supported by the president of Zanzibar, H.E. Dr. Hussein Mwinyi, the Zanzibar Electricity Corporation, the Ministry of Water, Energy and Minerals, and the Zanzibar Utilities Regulatory Authority. ZCREP will also complement the Zanzibar Energy Sector Transformation Project, a $142M World Bank and Clean Technology Fund initiative whose objective is to “expand access to electricity service and to create an enabling environment for private-sector participation in the Zanzibar electricity sector.” ZCREP will contribute to the decarbonization of the energy industry while also generating long-term, sustainable revenue for Astra, and delivering value to shareholders.

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This also aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 7, "ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all', resulting in direct benefits to the residents of Zanzibar.

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Targets 7.1, 7.a, and 7.b of SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy

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