Gigawatt impact
Built on Experience,
Driven by Impact.
Gigawatt Impact is transforming the future of energy, education, and economic empowerment through blended finance and innovative clean energy solutions, delivered by a team of experts with a proven track record in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
About Us
Our Mission
To provide industry-leading renewable energy solutions that drive sustainable development and economic growth in underserved communities worldwide.
Our Vision
A world where clean energy powers opportunity, innovation, and equality.
Our Story
Founded by the experts behind Gigawatt Global, Gigawatt Impact builds upon a legacy of renewable energy innovation. From Rwanda’s first solar field to cutting-edge community projects, we empower communities to overcome energy poverty and drive social, economic, and environmental justice through sustainable energy solutions.
Gigawatt Impact’s project pipeline spans 13 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, and boasts a special US program with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), furthering our mission to harness the power of renewable energy to bring about lasting economic and social development in the world’s poorest communities.
Proven Success: Our Impact through Gigawatt Global
Rwanda Solar Field
8.5 MW grid-connected solar field at the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village. Received $715,000 in grants, which unlocked $23 million in project finance for the SPV.
Solar-Powered Hospitals
We powered twp hospitals using solar energy, lessening the dependence on diesel and ensuring power during black-outs.
Burundi Solar Fields
8.6 MW grid-connected solar field at Mubuga Village. Received $300,000 in grants, which unlocked $16 million in project finance for the SPV.
Burundi Solar Street Lights
In the center of Bujumbura and Gitega, Burundi, these solar-powered street lights extend local working hours and enhance personal safety, especially of women.
Solar Field in Glynn County Georgia
22.5 MW field in Georgia, USA. The project is located adjacent to the Brunswick Golden Isles Airport and is connected to the nearby Georgia Power substation.
Developing Communities, Changing Lives
The Mirama School Project in Burundi
Located next to the Burundi Solar Fields, 1350 students from the Gitega Province in Burundi go to school.
As part of our community work we:
- installed a computer and printer on site, used by both the students and community at large
- installed running water in the school
- built two new classrooms and
- are currently building two more
- fixed the broken windows, sealed the classrooms to protect from rain, dust and rodent
- bought new books in math, science, entrepreneurship, French, English, Swahili and more
- sponsored tutoring for the students
- bought new backpacks and school supplies
opening the path to a real education that will develop the community for generations to come.
Success in the Making: Gigawatt Impact Project Pipeline
The Future of Impact: Blended Finance
Philanthropic Leverage 1:25.
Blended finance uses philanthropic grants to de-risk early-stage renewable energy projects, making them attractive for large-scale private investment.
For every $1 million in grant funding early in the project development, we have a proven track record of unlocking $25 million in project financing—and in some cases, up to 1:100.
Projects in the pipeline include doubling the size of the solar plant in Burundi, constructing solar fields in South Sudan, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Guinea, DRC, Liberia, Mozambique, and Somalia, as well as developing last mile generation, solar/wind hybrid projects, solar-powered agro-processing facilities, and desalination plants.
A $1-2M grant will unlock the pre-development phase of each project, bringing to financing and construction.
A $1M planning grant will match the $1M grant already awarded by the US Department of Agriculture, launching this program and supporting rural farmers, training students, and boosting economic and food security.
Capacity Building and Economic Development for HBCUs
Gigawatt Impact, in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, is developing a project to install strategic shading systems at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across 19 Southern states, to support economic development and food security for rural farmers.
The program will build farming capacity by training 2,400 HBCU students and 120 faculty and staff in best practices from the Israeli innovation ecosystem.
Additionally, the project will provide dual revenue streams for the HBCUs and surrounding rural farmers by integrating energy generation with agriculture, helping to close the wealth gap.
The Abundance Initiative:
A Transformative Approach to Renewable Energy & Agricultural Development in Uganda
The Abundance Initiative co-locates solar energy with agricultural value-addition facilities. This innovative model combines a 20MW utility-scale solar photovoltaic plant with an on-site agro-processing center. The program is expected to quadruple the income of poor rural farmers, the majority of whom are women.
Executed in partnership with 3 global and local NGOs (CultivAID, Bringing Hope to the Families, Noah’s Arc), the center will provide solar-powered milling, drying, refrigeration, and food processing. By integrating renewable energy generation with agricultural value-addition services, Abundance addresses critical challenges facing rural communities while creating significant economic opportunities.
A $2.2M grant will unlock the final development phase of the Abundance Initiative, completing regulatory licensing, feasibility studies, agricultural center design, farmer capacity building, to reach financial close by the end of 2025.
Zambia Solar Mini-grid and Irrigation
Working with our partners at Tevel B’tzedek, a development NGO, we will be providing solar-powered mini-grids and irrigation systems to advance social and economic development for the farming communities in which they are embedded in Zambia. This will enable not only lighting, but also refrigeration and small-scale milling and other agricultural activities.
Our Team
Weldon Turner
Co-Founder of Gigawatt Impact
COO Gigawatt Global
Josef Abramowitz
Co-Founder of Gigawatt Impact
CEO of Gigawatt Global
Aryeh Green
Co-Founder of Gigawatt Impact
Chief Strategy Officer Gigawatt Global
Dr. Hanna Helena Klein
Managing Director of Burundi School Program
VP Research and Project Management Gigawatt Global