Like many parts of Africa, motorcycles are the most popular form of transportation among Rwanda’s 13.3 million people. Whether they’re commuting to work or school, transporting jugs of water from the local taps, or just running everyday errands, people on “motos” can be found zipping up and down most busy streets in the East African nation. Many locals also rely on these motos for their livelihoods as taxi drivers.
Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, is among the fastest growing cities in Africa, with an urbanization annual growth rate of 4%, and it contributes overIn partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, the government of Rwanda launched a project to gradually phase out traditional gas-powered motorcycles and convert them to electric bikes.
Creating more battery swap stations that can be run using distributed solar photovoltaic technology might be an encouraging solution. The solar technology means the swap stations won’t need to rely on an over-burdened electric grid. They can also be placed in more remote locations where energy access is difficult or limited.