The Crowdlending Window supported MPower, an energy company advancing access to clean, reliable electricity in Africa through solar solutions and innovative financing. MPower serves SMEs, households, and commercial and industrial (C&I) clients, and has developed EnergyHubs i.e., solar-powered facilities that provide off-grid communities with electricity while enabling local business activity. CEI Africa committed EUR 1.1 million through a mix of equity and a subordinated loan, as part of a broader crowdlending round alongside Klimja and Republic. 

MPower developed and operates a commercial solar installation at Mount Sunzu Coffee, a leading coffee farm in Zambia’s Northern Province with a strong focus on sustainable agriculture and community development. The project addresses a critical operational challenge: the high electricity costs associated with powering irrigation systems essential for coffee production. 

MPower delivered a turnkey 90 kWp solar system powering the farm’s pumping infrastructure, covering the full process from feasibility assessment and system design to procurement, logistics, and installation. The system now supplies approximately 65% of the farm’s electricity demand, providing a reliable and cost-effective energy source. 

The installation generates around 135,000 kWh of clean electricity annually, translating into estimated cost savings of approximately USD 12,000 per year. This impliesa payback period of under four years, while significantly improving the farm’s energy security and reducing its exposure to volatile electricity costs. 

This project illustrates how distributed solar solutions can enhance thecompetitiveness and sustainability of productive-use businesses. For MPower, it demonstrates the role of C&I solar in supporting agricultural enterprises to lower operating costs, strengthen resilience, and reduce their environmental footprint, while contributing to local economic development.