Direct 

• Contribution to the decarbonisation of Colombia, avoiding CO2 emissions: With a total production of clean energy of over 2408 MWh per year, the solar plant will avoid the emission of about 371 tonnes of CO2 per year. This is equivalent to the CO2 absorption of 16.868 trees.

This campaign will fund one third of the total installation, therefore it will contribute to the generation of over 803 MWh of clean energy per year, avoiding the emission of 123,7 tonnes of CO2 yearly. This is the equivalent to the CO2 absorption of 5.622 trees.

• Sustainable and resilient food production systems: Solenium implements an agrivoltaics solution – in which the photovoltaic panels coexist with agricultural activity in the same land. The promoter partners with a productive actor – either a production or farmers’ association or an independent smallholder farmer – who will manage and work the land and receive the total income from its harvests. Through an agreement of land use conditions, Solenium grants the partner free access to the land and technical knowledge assistance for all steps of the production, from planning to harvesting crops and for sales’ channels and strategies of the products. This ensures the implementation of clean and efficient food production systems and the knowledge transfer to the local communities. 

At the Merengue installation, the productive partner is planning the cultivation of Baby Watermelons in two hectares of land, in a team of around seven people.

• Jobs creation: for the installation of the Minifarms around 15 temporary and local jobs are created, and around 20% of those work contracts are renovated for other minifarms installations planned in the same region. 

Indirect

• Promoting sustainable business: the project developed for Solenium is an example of the applicability of solar power integrated with agricultural solutions and inserted within a community’s needs, an important step towards sustainability for businesses in Colombia. Furthermore, Solenium is a certified BCorp in Colombia, which means they reach a set of standards in its practices towards customers, employees, governance and environment.
• Community engagement and local development: This funding positively affects two communities in Colombia – the rural areas of the cities of La Paz and Valledupar. Solenium builds educational centres to provide training to schools, companies, and the general population. These centres are spaces inside the Minifarms containing computers and learning and experimental materials for the community’s children and youth to learn about technology, solar energy and beyond.