Village Health Works Microgrid
Client: Village Health Works (VHW)
Location: Kigutu, Burundi
Size: 40 acres
Collaborators: Bergen St. Studio, JB&B, FBW, CSI
Year: 2014 - 2019
Services: Hydroplant Engineering Design, Construction Document Delivery, Construction Services, Procurement Services, Operational Support
Context
In 2006, Village Health Works (VHW), a New York-based non-profit founded by a Burundian doctor, Deo Niyizonkiza, established a healthcare facility located in Kigutu, Burundi.. The cornerstone of the Kigutu campus is a 120-bed, state-of-the-art teaching hospital that will provides emergency obstetrics care, neonatal care, and comprehensive surgical services. The new hospital and the constantly expanding campus required reliable and low-cost electrical supply. As a part of Level’s services to VHW, the concept for a campus microgrid was developed to harness nearby hydro power, solar power, and a limited supply of power from the local electrical grid.
Our Role
The first project to be realized from the Infrastructure Master Plan that Level Infrastructure completed in 2014 was a 130 kW micro hydro power facility. Situated one kilometer from the Kigutu campus along the Buhinda River, the run-of-river design included a 130 kW cross-flow turbine. The project was constructed using local labor, which provided income and skills training for dozens of community members. To integrate the hydroplant into the campus electrical network, Level Infrastructure designed and supported the procurement of a campus microgrid system that included a microgrid controller, diesel generator, 1MWh battery storage, 150kW rooftop PV, and motorized switchgear to integrate the five supply sources.
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