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Artificial light may become a new weapon in the fight to control malaria

27/05/2022
Bernard Coetzee
Article

My research explores one such potential strategy: the use of artificial lights to trick malaria-transmitting mosquito species that feed nocturnally into behaving as if it’s daytime. This may deter feeding, helping to keep people safe from malaria-carrying mosquito bites.

Three key insights on end-of-life management of solar products

19/05/2022
Dennis Migono
Article

Approximately 180 million off-grid solar products have been sold since 2010, and the sector is predicted to serve over 830 million people worldwide by 2030. This growth of the off-grid solar market requires a robust e-waste management system, especially in developing countries where demand and uptake of solar products is on the rise.

Implementing Effective Innovation Challenges: Three Lessons from the Last Mile Distribution Sector

17/05/2022
Emma Colenbrander, Gerwin Jansen and Charlotte Taylor
Article

Last mile distributors (LMDs) are key to serving traditionally overlooked communities across emerging markets. Whether they’re distributing improved cookstoves, off-grid solar products or water filters, these companies bring life-changing products directly to the world’s hardest-to-reach consumers.

Two local projects demonstrate potential – and challenges – for Africa going solar

13/05/2022
Hugh Biggar
Article

Africa has low rates of renewable energy use, but communities are working to change that

Is PAYGO a good business model for local solar SMEs?

11/05/2022
Harald Schützeichel
Article

Africa’s PAYGO sector is dominated by non-African companies, some of which compete heavily with each other through their investors. They have adjusted to the multiple risks and side effects of the PAYGO model, including a shift in the main customer group from remote to peri-urban customers.

Benchmarking and comparing effectiveness of mini-grid encroachment regulations of 24 African countries

09/05/2022
Christopher Mambwe, Kai-Wilfrid Schröder, Les Kügel, Prem Jain
Article

Mini-grid markets cannot realize their full potential as most energy regulators do not provide an appropriate answer to the simple question “What happens when the main grid arrives?”

About risks and side effects of the PAYGO model

04/05/2022
Harald Schützeichel
Article

The sale of off-grid solar systems using end-customer credits has become a widespread standard today under the overall term pay-as-you-go (PAYGO). Even though the off-grid solar market in sub-Saharan Africa has received a considerable boost as a result and the instrument has often proven to be effective, it is also associated with risks.

New Solar Village of the Solar Energy Foundation in Uganda

30/04/2022
Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation
Article

Kinabi in eastern Uganda is the 19th solar village of the Solar Energy Foundation in East Africa. 100 households now have a basic supply of solar energy.

New report identifies the highest carbon emitter in East Africa

29/04/2022
Applied Energy / Elsevier
Article

Emissions accounting and drivers in East African countries, published by Science Direct, focussed on the carbon emission inventories of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Djibouti, Eritrea, Rwanda and Burundi.

A2EI’S Solar Generators Gather Place

27/04/2022
A2EI
Article

Because of unreliable grids, there are millions of small fuel generators in (not only) Nigeria that emit millions of tons of CO2 every year. The Access to Energy Institute (A2EI) set out to provide the sector with an open source hardware solar business system that can replace the noisy, unhealthy fossil fuel generators.