Our first Solar System in Ethiopia is now live
The new PV System at Mudula Hospital.
Back in December, our team landed on the red soil of southern Ethiopia armed with data sheets, tape measures, and a big idea:
What if a hospital whose medical equipment had literally burned out during blackouts could finally flip the switch on something better?
We’re thrilled to say: the switch has been flipped!
Mudula Primary Hospital, a rural medical lifeline for over 600,000 people is now officially running on solar power. After months of design, coordination, and Solar Energy Foundation’s local team installing the system, the batteries are now charged - and for the first time, this hospital can breathe easy.
Ethiopia, Africa's second-most populated country with 132 million residents, carries the scars of its recent past. Nowhere is this more evident than in its healthcare and energy sectors. Before the installation, Mudula Primary Hospital relied on a fragile grid and a diesel generator that was both costly and unreliable. Essential services like the ability to cool and storage vaccines, perform surgeries or simply operate essential medical devices, were constantly at risk, compromising essential medical services when patients need them most. With 21,350 patients per month and 45 beds, the inability to treat patients with appropriate care has far-reaching consequences for the whole community.
The newly installed solar system provides Mudula Primary Hospital with stability and reliability. Enabling the hospital staff to focus on their day-to-day operations in a stable, reliable system (no more blackouts, burned devices, or spoiled medicine) allows patients to receive the medical aid they need and deserve.
So, what’s new on the roof? A whole lot, actually.
73.8 kWp of solar panels across 400 m² (about two tennis courts)
120 kWh of battery storage to keep things running when the sun’s on break.
Enough clean power to cover 69% of the hospital’s energy needs and generate 132 MWh annually.
Last but not least, the switch from diesel to solar at Mudula hospital will result in 35,5 tons of CO2-Savings.
The new solar system is not just good for the planet, it’s also good for the bottom line: it will save the hospital more than €300,000 over the next 10 years. With an average treatment cost of €5 per patient, that translates into care for over 68,000 additional treatments.
Projects like this don't happen in a vacuum. For months, our team has been working behind the scenes to bring this vision to life. Our team conducted weekly coordination meetings to ensure all aspects of the project aligned perfectly, from upgrading the hospital's infrastructure with energy-efficient LED lighting to navigating international cooperation.
The real work involved overcoming practical challenges: meeting with the Ethiopian Embassy to secure necessary approvals, completing the detailed legalization process for the donation certificate, and quickly adapting when locally-sourced materials unexpectedly increased in price. Each solution brought us one step closer to delivering reliable power to the hospital.
This impact wouldn't have been possible without our dedicated partners on the ground and abroad. WEEMA and Enpal provided crucial technical and financial support, while the experienced team at Solar Energy Foundation, led by country director Samson Tsegaye, applied their local expertise to transform plans into reality. Together, we've delivered more than just solar panels, we've empowered healthcare professionals to save lives without interruption.
Scroll through to witness the work behind the impact
- from the first site visit to the final solar connection.
With more than 21.000 patients a month, Mudula Hospital is an important healthcare line for the people of Konso.
Aid Pioneers’ team collects the data needed for the assessment of the solar system.
This centrifuge machine is now powered by reliable energy, thanks to the new solar system.
A patient room in Modula Hospital that now is powered by reliable energy.
Aid Pioneers’ team with Country Director Samson Tsegaye, Solar Energy Foundation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Girmay Berhe, Aid Pioneers’ Solar engineering lead, designing the Mudula PV System in our Berlin office.
Our Solar team inspecting is packing the solar panels at Enpal’s warehouse Chemnitz, Germany.
A postcard from our local partner WEEMA, as they meet the truck in Halaba on its way to Mudula.
The room that once stored empty diesel canisters will now house the hospital’s new batteries and inverters.
Looks different, right? The brand new batteries and inverters are now safely stored and ready to power the solar system.
The local team of Solar Energy Foundation’s carefully install the solar panels.
Finally, it’s up! The solar system at Mudula Primary Hospital can now provide the medical staff and patients with reliable energy for years and years to come.
“Our ultimate vision is that no Ethiopian doctor is forced to stop a surgery mid-procedure, no vaccine is wasted due to a blackout, and no patient is turned away because a hospital can’t afford diesel.”
Just the beginning
Mudula is the first of several hospitals we're helping transition to solar in Ethiopia. In total, we’re aiming to install 230 kWp of solar across three hospitals and deliver over €1 million worth of essential medical supplies.
We’re not just enlighting rooms, we’re powering a new kind of healthcare system. One where no vaccine spoils because the fridge went out. Where no patient risks their life when surgery is halted mid-procedure. Where doctors and nurses can count on the machines they rely on - every hour, every day. This is what true impact looks like, and we’re so grateful you’re on this journey with us.
Everyone deserves reliable, sustainable energy - no matter where they live. If you believe in powering better healthcare and brighter futures, consider supporting our work in Ethiopia and other underserved communities.
Join us today in bringing sustainable power to healthcare facilities that need it most!
Your donation directly funds solar installations that save lives.
