BioLite’s Post

It all started with Rwanda. In 2019 while working in academia, I came across a journal paper which stated that households were spending up to 40% of their total income on energy, most of which was used for heating water. Being a solar heat geek, this was my calling. It became pretty clear that current solar solutions weren't suitable for wide scale implementation into the global south which is why their use remains very low, chiefly because they are: ♨ Prone to overheating. Current solar thermal products have been developed for colder/northern climates. Deploy them in sunny/hot regions and they can reach temperatures well above 100 degrees Celsius which can be unsafe and reduce system lifetime. 🚿 Damaged by hard water. Borehole water is often used in Africa which can be hard and mineralised. Heating this water can lead to limescale build up reducing performance and reliability of systems. 🏭 They are typically made overseas and imported. This is the big one. Current solar collectors require a significant capital investment to locally manufacture so they are often imported from other countries. Imagine the impact of a locally manufactured solar collector, new creating jobs and building a low carbon industry! 🚛 Difficult and expensive to ship. I once spoke with a distributor in Malawi who told me that he experienced up to 20% breakage rates importing solar collectors from China due to their size and fragile materials. This adds further cost. This led me to design the IKEA solution to solar hot water, a flat-packed, self assembled solar collector that doesn't require any tools to assemble. It can be locally manufactured, and won't reach dangerous temperatures. In 2022 Kris Aitchison and I traveled to Rwanda to complete our first installations with financial support from the Energy Catalyst (an Innovate UK programme) programme. This project was a huge success for us and it was wonderful to see this photo of a delegation from the Transforming Energy Access forum visit one of our very first installations taken over two years later. This year SolarisKit Ltd | Certified B Corp looks forward to deploying more solar collectors across the continent while helping build the essential capacity needed to unlock the potential of solar heating. This is all part of my vision for a better world. Whats your vision for a better world? I would love to know!

BGFA Signs Agreement with Nuru SASU to Expand Solar Mini-Grid Development in DRC Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) has recently inked a significant agreement with Nuru Société par Actions Simplifée Unipersonnelle (Nuru SASU) to accelerate the development of new mini-grids, referred to as metro-grids by Nuru. Under this agreement, BGFA will provide up to EUR 5 million in results-based financing to the project, which is expected to mobilize an additional EUR 28 million in co-financing over the next four years. Nuru SASU, translating to “light” in Swahili, focuses on delivering clean energy solutions to underserved peri-urban and urban communities in the DRC. Having deployed the country’s first commercial solar-based mini-grid […] Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/dUcuPWi7 #solarenergy #alternativeenergy #solarpv #pvsolar #photovoltaic #cleanenergy #cleantech #climatechange #middleeast #africa #india #asiapacific #asia #africa #cleanenergy #renewableenergy #solarenergy #solarmini-grid

Introducing our Renewable Energy Solutions Partner! We have teamed up with MeshPower Ltd. (Rwanda), an organization focused on innovating renewable energy solutions, to convert our Tujyane vehicles from gasoline to electric power. Tujyane, our e-mobility transportation service, aims to provide small businesses and farmers in Eastern Rwanda with a more affordable and eco-friendly commercial transportation option. We will start converting our next vehicle this June, alongside MeshPower.  By switching to electric vehicles, we are cutting operating costs and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. This shift towards sustainability isn't just good for the environment; it also means improved accessibility and connection in emerging markets.    Together with MeshPower, we are promoting innovation and improving mobility in the rural communities we serve. This partnership marks our commitment to powering rural development with renewable solar energy.      At Kinvest Impact, we build market innovations to accelerate economic development in rural Africa.       #marketinnovations #markethubs #ruraltransportation #cleanwater #leaderdevelopment #sustainabledevelopment #accelerate #Kinvest #Impact #Rwanda #Tujyane #letsgotogether 

USAID Awards $1.1 Million In Grants To Boost Solar Access And Economic Resilience In Senegal The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has unveiled a $1.1 million grant to empower local solar technology firms and renewable energy developers, aiming to amplify access to solar solutions, stimulate small business productivity in off-grid zones, and enhance the livelihoods of rural communities in Senegal. Under the Scaling Up Renewable Energy (SURE) initiative, USAID will distribute grants to notable solar tech companies, including Ibriz, FlexNRJ, BONERGIE, Tysilio, SolarX, Kossam SDE, Jokosun, and Africa Green Tec. The grants will be allocated as follows: USAID Mission Director Alyssa Leggoe highlighted the climate-friendly nature of solar power, emphasizing its role in reducing […] Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/dZw7kC-j #solarenergy #alternativeenergy #solarpv #pvsolar #photovoltaic #cleanenergy #cleantech #climatechange #middleeast #africa #india #asiapacific #asia #africa #renewableenergy #senegal #solarenergy #u.s.agencyforinternationaldevelopment #usaid

Ghana has launched West Africa’s largest floating solar PV system to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. The country is looking to tap into a sustainable energy source, which couldn’t have come at a more pressing time. As seen in DW, The 5-megawatt plant situated at the Bui generating unit in the Bono area uses photovoltaic modules to power water infrastructure, preserving land while lowering the need to chop down trees. The project’s engineers revealed that the panels also provide a healthy environment for fish to breed beneath them, encouraging fingerling development and maintaining aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, this project would help the environment by reducing the use of fossil fuels, and help the West African gold coast achieve its objective of generating 10% of its power from renewables by 2030. Kindly click the link below for more: https://lnkd.in/dFGJANXs #sustainability #renewableenergy #solar #ghana #africa #gipc Credit: Business Insider Africa Pulse Ghana SDGs Ghana at Presidency UN Climate Change MINISTRY OF ENERGY (GHANA ) Ministry of Environment Science and Technology Sustainability UN Sustainable Development Group Renewable Energy Africa 2024

👏🎉We are always looking to celebrate wins in the #minigrids sector and spotlight trailblazing initiatives our partners and friends are advancing. Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL)'s multi-donor results-based finance (RBF) facility, the UEF (Universal Energy Facility), is working in #Benin, #SierraLeone, #Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of #Congo, and #Madagascar to power thousands of households and businesses. ☀️ To date, UEF has deployed 750+ minigrids or Stand-alone Solar for Productive Use (SSPU) systems. ☀️Recently, they shared news about their collaboration with MIONWA, a subsidiary of OnePower PTY LTD in Benin. Through the UEF grant, three solar minigrids will be constructed in three communities, providing nearly 1,500 connections and benefiting over 7,000 people. ☀️Only 18% of rural residents have access to electricity compared to 70% in urban areas. This is one of the reasons why Benin is also an AMP country, and plans to launch as a second-round participant. Learn more. 👉 https://lnkd.in/eMFM3vqp  #EnergizingtheFutureofAfrica #UEF #MinigridsForAfrica #ForwardTogether Anita Otubu Raul Alfaro-Pelico #SDG7 #ClimateAction #RenewableEnergy

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has unveiled a $1.1 million grant to empower local solar technology firms and renewable energy developers, aiming to amplify access to solar solutions, stimulate small business productivity in off-grid zones, and enhance the livelihoods of rural communities in Senegal. Under the Scaling Up Renewable Energy (SURE) initiative, USAID will distribute grants as follow: ☀️ Solar Water Pumps for Women: Up to $375,000 for Ibriz, FlexNRJ SARL, and Bonergie to expand access to solar water pumps for women in Niayes, Casamance, and Eastern Senegal. This initiative aims to empower women farmers, enhance livelihoods, and create jobs in rural areas. ☀️ Solar Solutions Expansion: Up to $475,000 for Tysilio and SolarX to support the expansion of solar solutions in agriculture, fisheries, and commercial ventures. These grants will foster strong relationships between local financiers, renewable energy developers, and their customers, promoting investment in renewable energy projects and creating financial products responsive to energy sector needs. ☀️Energy-as-a-Service Models: Up to $290,000 for Kossam SDE, Jokosun, and Africa GreenTec to support energy-as-a-service models in solar cooling, electric-powered transportation, and other solar applications for small businesses. This model allows buyers to purchase only the energy, making it more accessible to rural and coastal customers. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dZw7kC-j #RenewableEnergy #Solar #Investment #Senegal

🌍⚡ Paving the Way for a Brighter, Sustainable Africa: Renewable Energy Revolution 🌱 Africa, a continent of immense potential, is embracing renewable energy to power sustainable development. 🌞💨 Kenya and many African nations are harnessing the abundant natural resources at their disposal. Solar panels glisten in the sun, wind turbines spin gracefully, and hydropower stations hum with vitality. These renewable energy options not only reduce carbon emissions but also create jobs, drive economic growth, and improve access to electricity in rural areas. The African Renewable Energy Initiative is a shining example, focusing on solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal projects to electrify the continent. Kenya, in particular, is investing in green energy with projects like the Lake Turkana Wind Power, contributing to energy security and environmental conservation. Renewable energy is not just a power source; it's a catalyst for sustainable development, and Africa is leading the charge. Let's support this green revolution and empower a brighter future for all! Would you like to know more about the topic? Head over to our website https://www.fea-ev.com/. 🌟🌍 #Future #Empowerment #Africa #SustainableDevelopment #Education #RenewableEnergy #AfricaRising

CEI Africa Grants $3.1 Million To Nuru For Expansive Solar Mini-Grid Project In DRC Stichting Clean Energy and Energy Inclusion for Africa (CEI Africa) has announced its commitment to award a results-based financing (RBF) grant of up to $3,087,600 to Nuru, a green mini-grid (GMG) developer in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The grant will support the creation of a 3.7MW solar mini-grid that will provide approximately 5,146 connections to underserved communities in the Goma region of the DRC. Nuru’s project aims to electrify three neighborhoods in the Goma region, which were previously experiencing limited access to electricity, with average access rates as low as 3%. Thanks to Nuru’s efforts, these neighborhoods, namely […] Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/df_DjwHU #solarenergy #alternativeenergy #solarpv #pvsolar #photovoltaic #cleanenergy #cleantech #climatechange #middleeast #africa #india #asiapacific #asia #africa #ceiafrica #democraticrepublicofcongo #renewableenergy #solarenergy #solarminigrid

The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa has signed two new agreements with Equatorial Power Ltd. and Koolboks in #Uganda to establish new mini-grids and scale up distribution of #solarpowered refrigerators in the country. In total, EUR 3 million will be provided in results-based financing from BGFA to the new investees. Access to electricity and off-grid refrigeration will allow small and medium-sized businesses in rural communities to establish new ventures to support economic development in these areas. With the financial support of BGFA, Koolboks plans to expand its business operations across Uganda and Equatorial Power Ltd. is planning to establish 10 mini-grids on islands in Lake Victoria, to service the surrounding rural communities. ➡ Read more: https://lnkd.in/egScD-7W #cleanenergy #offgridsolar #solarpower #minigrids #SMEs #cleancooling #sdg7 #subsaharanafrica Embassy of Sweden Sida Embassy of Denmark in Uganda Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation KfW USAID Nefco - the Nordic Green Bank NIRAS International Consulting REEEP - Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership