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Investing in the Future: Why Backing Local Founders in African Electric Mobility Matters

Africa stands at a pivotal juncture in its journey towards sustainable development, with electric mobility emerging as a transformative force. As the continent grapples with the challenges of urbanization, pollution, and energy access, the shift towards electric vehicles offers a glimmer of hope for a cleaner, more efficient future. However, to truly harness the potential of this technology, we must recognize the importance of supporting local founders who intimately understand the needs and nuances of their communities. Understanding the Local Perspective: Africa is not a monolith; its diverse landscape encompasses a multitude of cultures, climates, and infrastructural challenges. From bustling metropolises to remote rural villages, each region presents its own set of obstacles to the widespread adoption of electric mobility. This is where the expertise of local founders becomes invaluable. Having grown up amidst these complexities, they possess an intimate understanding of the unique...
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Electric mobility as an anchor for productive uses of renewable energy: The case of E-Safiri, a Kenyan based start-up

                                                  The impact of rural electrification programs can often be multiplied through the promotion of productive use of on-grid and off-grid electricity beyond basic domestic use. Most countries place a high priority on electrification and recognize the many benefits it brings. These benefits include improved lighting; higher levels of education for children; increased productivity in business and agriculture; improved health through reduced use of kerosene lamps; increased access to entertainment and information through radio, television and computers; and increased social activity and safety through public lighting (IEG 2008). Today, electrification is often combined with investments in other areas, such as roads, water supply, education, training, technical assistance and access to credit.    This case study f...
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Sustainable and scalable business models for minigrids - Summary concept note

The sustainable and scalable business models for minigrids conference  organized by the African school of regulation (ASR)  begins on Monday 23rd January . The three-day conference has over 200 participants from over 25 countries registered. The ASR is excited to host this multitude of experts and organizations passionate about Minigrids and increasing access to sustainable and affordable electricity in Africa. While we gear up towards this conference, we can use the conference concept note as an anchor to discuss the scalability and viable financial business models for mini-grids in Africa.    Sustainable and financially viable business models are the pre-requisite for deployment of a large number of mini-grids required to achieve the goals of universal electricity access in Africa.  The concept note by Prof.  Ignacio J. Pérez-Arriaga   highlights two fundamental conditions that are indispensable to attract the massive amounts of private capital ...
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African School of Regulation: In Africa, Run by Africans and for Africans

Let me tell you a fun story about a school of regulation hosted at the European University institute which is located in Florence, Italy. The Florence School of regulation   (FSR)  has for several years provided capacity building for professionals in the energy sector, participated in policy formulation and standardisation of regulation within the energy sector. I was privileged to be part of the 2019 Open Africa Power  fellowship  which , together with Strathmore University in Nairobi was facilitated by the FSR and  was an opportunity for young  African professionals in the energy sector to obtain training, network and develop projects in an effort to provide solutions for energy poverty. What are some of the challenges that inhibit Africa from  providing universal access to sustainable energy? Let us cover a few of these; ·        Lack of sustainable policies in the just transition for electricity access. ·  ...
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The impact of Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 on Electrical Power and Energy Systems (EPEs)

The communication revolution that dominated the last half century and the economic crisis in 2008 have led to the market landscape currently being dominated by electric power and energy systems. Efficient electrical power generation, transmission and distribution provide for the backbone of any growing economy as well as the fundamental requirement for the developed global north. The adoption of climate change agreement at the UN Climate change conference in Paris led to three main drivers of technological advancement in the power industry. These main drivers of transformation can be   summarised as; i.   de-carbonization   of   EPES,   ii. decentralisation   of   electrical   power   and   iii. energy production and transportation electrification.  Technological innovation is therefore prerequisite to this transformation of EPES. The evolution of several technologies is currently underway to curb the aforementioned. We shall use a ...
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