Our ongoing projects:
SWARM—E Leave No One Behind: Bottom-Up Energy Transformation of Last-Mile Communities in Tanzania and Rwanda
The SWARM electrification project, led by MicroEnergy International, aims to create affordable, reliable, modern, and sustainable access to clean energy in Tanzania and Rwanda. The project uses a bottom-up modular and dynamic infrastructure called SWARM electrification (SWARM-E), which deploys a circular renewable energy system called a SWARM grid. The infrastructure, developed by partners SOLshare and MEI in Bangladesh, will be adapted for the SSA context, enabling affordable local energy ownership via peer-to-peer electricity sharing. The project consists of five new SWARM grids, four in Rwanda and one in Tanzania, interconnecting decentralized energy infrastructures, creating an enabling ecosystem called SWARM grid+, and demonstrating innovative solutions, such as blended hydrogen-LPG clean cooking fuel in Rwanda and e-mobility solutions in Tanzania.
Standards, protocols, and certifications for the import and installation of solar technologies for solar self-consumption and mini grids in Djibouti.
The project in Djibouti aims to enhance electricity access by improving the financial viability of renewable energy mini-grids and attracting commercial investment through the development of tailored quality standards and certifications for solar mini-grid components and installers. MEI will adapt international standards to Djibouti’s local conditions, establishing technical protocols for solar panels, batteries, and inverters, and creating a certification mechanism with compliance testing and accreditation frameworks. The project includes training modules for stakeholders, a broad awareness campaign, and consultations with relevant ministries to ensure effective adoption of these standards, supporting Djibouti’s sustainable energy goals.
IDEAL4GREEN: Building decentralIsed, DistributEd And Local micro-GRids for dEcarbonisation Electrification challeNge
The IDEAL4GREEN project addresses climate change and sustainable energy by developing microgrids to manage renewable resources and meet decarbonisation goals, supporting the EC’s 2050 carbon neutrality target. It creates a doctoral training network with 8 beneficiaries and 11 partners, recruiting 15 candidates to research microgrid planning, design, operation, and impact. The project advances integration frameworks, control algorithms, cybersecurity, and grid resilience while exploring policy and economic feasibility. Candidates gain academic and industrial experience, building technical, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Urban and Peri-Urban Access to Electricity Study in SSA
Africa’s rapidly growing, youthful cities are set to reach 1.26 billion urban residents by 2050, driving the need for effective electrification strategies in urban and peri-urban areas. Immediate investment is crucial to keep pace with growth. Under Italy’s 2024 Piano Mattei initiative, this project will deliver pilot projects in major cities via public-private partnerships to improve grid management and electrification. It includes a three-phase plan: a study on electricity access with RES4Africa’s frugal innovation insights, followed by feasibility studies, with results shared at an event.
MG-Farm, in Algeria & Morocco
Microgrid farms, Smart Microgrids as a solution for the electrification of agricultural farms in the Maghreb Region. The goal of the MG farm project is to showcase how Digitized RE Microgrids and Smart Storage Systems can improve agricultural production and productivity in Morocco and Algeria. More Information