Local Innovation: Creating a Foundation for Success in Rural Liberia

This case study describes the establishment and operational success of the Totota Electric Cooperative (TEC) in rural Liberia, a solar hybrid mini-grid utility developed through a partnership between NRECA International and USAID/Liberia.

• Established in 2018, the Totota Electric Cooperative (TEC) achieved self-sufficiency in less than two years, covering all operating costs and employee salaries without subsidies from the Liberian government.
• The utility utilizes a solar hybrid mini-grid that provides reliable electricity to 341 households and businesses, serving over 1,500 people with a target capacity of approximately 2,000 people.
• Access to electricity has stimulated economic growth in Totota, specifically enabling small businesses to provide cold storage for meat, fish, and other food products for travelers on the route between Monrovia and West Africa.
• To replace cumbersome manual data collection, NRECA senior engineer Aaron Mineen created the TEC Dashboard, an automated web-based monitoring platform that tracks real-time key performance indicators including peak load, power outages, energy use, and bill payment data.

APA

Mineen, A. (2021). Local Innovation: Creating a Foundation for Success in Rural Liberia. Alliance for Renewable Electrification. https://renewelec.org/local-innovation-creating-a-foundation-for-success-in-rural-liberia/

Chicago

Mineen, Aaron. Local Innovation: Creating a Foundation for Success in Rural Liberia. Alliance for Renewable Electrification, 2021. https://renewelec.org/local-innovation-creating-a-foundation-for-success-in-rural-liberia/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mineen |first1=Aaron |title=Local Innovation: Creating a Foundation for Success in Rural Liberia |publisher=Alliance for Renewable Electrification |date=22 February 2021 |url=https://renewelec.org/local-innovation-creating-a-foundation-for-success-in-rural-liberia/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mineen2021local, author = {Mineen, Aaron}, title = {{Local Innovation: Creating a Foundation for Success in Rural Liberia}}, institution = {Alliance for Renewable Electrification}, year = {2021}, month = feb, url = {https://renewelec.org/local-innovation-creating-a-foundation-for-success-in-rural-liberia/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }