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Israel’s Highest International Development Prize Awarded to EnergiyaGlobal, Led by Solar Pioneer Yosef Abramowitz

Announces Launch of Gigawatt Impact: A New Climate Justice Initiative in Africa and an Agro-Voltaic Collaboration with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the American South

EnergiyaGlobal, led by Yosef Abramowitz–a prominent solar pioneer in Israel and a past Nobel Peace Prize nominee by 12 African countries—has been honored for their exceptional leadership and innovative blended financing models that promote large-scale climate justice in Africa. The recognition comes from the Society for International Development-Israel (SID-Israel), the premier umbrella organization that unites civil society, government institutions, academia, private companies, and independent experts in the field of international development and humanitarian aid.

The award was presented on January 13, 2025, during SID-Israel’s Annual Conference in central Israel.

This prestigious international development prize acknowledges EnergiyaGlobal’s impactful initiatives, including the financing of sub-Sahara Africa’s first utility-scale solar field in Rwanda, which provides over 6% of the nation’s power at the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village. This project successfully secured $715,000 in grant funding, which catalyzed $24 million in project finance investment—a notable leveraging ratio of 1:25 that has generated substantial impact investments.

“EnergiyaGlobal’s work exemplifies Israeli innovation in international development – combining innovative business models with advanced technologies and a commitment to climate justice,” said Ayelet Levin Karp, Executive Director of SID-Israel.  “Their success demonstrates how Israeli expertise can create substantial impact in addressing global challenges, setting an inspiring model for the Israeli international development community.”

“Israel has the potential to be a super-power of goodness in the developing world, especially in Africa, and EnergiyaGlobal and our partners—donors and impact investors—are proud to pioneer utility-scale solar in a blended-finance model to drive major economic and social development in the Least Developed Countries,” said Abramowitz upon receiving the award today.   “We are especially excited about introducing  the ‘Abundance’ Initiative, a combined solar and agricultural model that will quadruple poor, women farmer incomes with innovative energy access.  Thank you to the leadership and donors of SID-Israel for honoring our team’s vision and professionalism in making Israel a renewable light unto the nations.”

Additionally, EnergiyaGlobal recently inaugurated Burundi’s first solar field, which added over 10% of the country’s installed power generating capacity, covering 100% of the capital’s daytime energy needs, while also achieving a philanthropic-to-investment ratio of 1:25.  Burundi, alongside South Sudan, is recognized as one of the least developed countries in the world.

In Uganda, EnergiyaGlobal is launching the “Abundance” Initiative to integrate community-based utility-scale solar projects with agro-processing, aimed at quadrupling incomes for impoverished women farmers.  This initiative is a partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Ugandan NGO Bringing Hope to the Families, the US-based Livelihood Fund as well as Cultivaid, an Israeli NGO with agricultural expertise.  In South Sudan, the team is pursuing grant funding to catalyze $30 million in project financing for a 14 MW solar field with 8 MW hours of battery storage in Juba, which is in the advanced stages of development.

Ambassador Eynat Shlein, head of Mashav, Israel’s Agency for International Development said at the event, “I was delighted to present this award to Yossi Abramovich, an entrepreneur, a dreamer and a doer, who became a beacon of vision, knowledge & implementation in the Israeli international development community. Mr Abramovich is actively creating change, bringing light and energy to those in need.”

On the occasion of the prize announcement, Abramowitz and his colleagues—Weldon Turner and Aryeh Green—are excited to announce the launch of Gigawatt Impact, a new US nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering climate justice and renewable energy project development in Africa and sharing Israeli agro-voltaic expertise with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the American South, in collaboration with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.  Gigawatt Impact offers donors the chance to support smaller-scale projects in African countries, along with community initiatives and studies that will pave the way for larger installations.

About EnergiyaGlobal:
EnergiyaGlobal is a multinational renewable energy company and impact investment platform focused on the development of profitable utility-scale installations empowering vulnerable communities across Africa, actively implementing solutions to promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  As the service arm of the Dutch Gigawatt Global Cooperatief, the company built the first utility-scale solar field in Sub-Saharan Africa, in Rwanda – and its second, completed in April 2021 in Burundi, added 10% to that developing nation’s electricity capacity. EnergiyaGlobal is led by a team of seasoned project developers, financiers, impact investors and green energy experts, and is a founding partner of the U.S. Power Africa program.  The company has solar, wind and hydro projects under development in over a dozen sub-Saharan African countries, including S. Sudan, Nigeria, Liberia, Mozambique, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia and the Comoros. www.gigawattglobal.com  See our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inFsMDcAqDk&t=14s.

About Gigawatt Impact:
A new US 501c3 non-profit, Gigawatt Impact is focused on bringing climate justice and renewable energy at all levels to the most vulnerable communities on the planet.
The team at Gigawatt Impact has a proven track record developing projects in least developed countries like Rwanda and Burundi.  Gigawatt Global, its for-profit forbear, built the first utility-scale solar field in sub-Saharan Africa, in Rwanda, and the first in Burundi, the poorest nation on the planet.)  Gigawatt Impact focuses on critical-need and higher-risk projects of various sizes, with a pipeline of renewable energy projects in sub-Saharan Africa, and plans for solar-voltaic projects at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in US, in addition to smaller solar installations and other impact projects.  Gigawatt Impact will fund projects across the spectrum of time and scale, from small initiatives with immediate impact on hundreds/thousands of individuals to grid-connected solar fields providing power to millions.

About Yosef Abramowitz:
A pioneer of the solar energy industry in both Israel and East Africa, Yosef I. Abramowitz is an American-Israeli educator, human rights activist, and entrepreneur. In recognition for his work, Abramowitz has been nominated by 12 African countries for the Nobel Peace Prize. He has been named by CNN as one of the six top global “Green Pioneers,” by PV Tech as “one of the most inspiring solar CEOs” worldwide, and by the Israel National Business and Energy Conference as Person of the Year. Abramowitz has created and led solar teams responsible for nearly $1 billion in green energy pipelines. He is co-founder of the Arava Power Company, Israel’s leading solar developer, as well as Energiya Global Capital. Energiya Global Capital fights for climate justice and human rights by providing affordable green power to underserved populations.

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