Energy Access and Green Transition Collaboratively Demonstrated in Rural and Peri Urban Areas in Africa (ENERGICA)

1. CONTEXT / BACKGROUND

Green transition is at the forefront of political and societal ambitions for more sustainable economies, industries, and societies. The means to reach a green transition usually consider Renewable Energy Technologies (RET) as the key toward CO2 emissions reduction and decarbonization of the electricity grid. However, sustainable uptake of RETs can only be ensured through the effective implication of stakeholders all along the value chain and throughout
the development of tailored technologies. That is why, the ENERGICA project focuses on a wider scope of activities than strictly technical, providing sustainable technologies to a wide range of stakeholders and decision-makers.

From design to commissioning and operation, partners and associated stakeholders will ensure that technical, environmental, social, and economic positive impacts are generated through the implementation of collaborative methodologies. The ENERGICA innovative solutions will be implemented in Madagascar for the development of WEF nexus-centered productive use nano-grids in 50 rural villages, in Sierra Leone where low-tech biogas and water purification systems will be demonstrated and tailored to peri-urban and urban contexts, and in Kenya through the demonstration and replicability of e-mobility boda-boda and smart energy management systems for battery fleet management and renewable energy integration. As a mirror to the collaborative implementation of the solutions, tools for decision-makers and stakeholders will be produced to ensure replicability and uptake of sustainable methodologies. These tools will enhance the replication of current and future RETs in sustainable ways for urban, rural, on-grid, or off-grid areas and foster green transition measures.

2. MAIN ACTIVITIES & IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH

ECREEE is part of the activities relating to the Demonstrate water-purification and biogas low-tech cost-effective systems addressing the WEF nexus in Sierra Leone and participates in following Work Packages:

• Specifications and on-site studies,
• Co-creation of the demonstrators),
• Sustainable social and environmental ecosystems),
• Frugal and low-tech WEF nexus technologies (Western Africa),
• Demonstration of the solutions,
• Techno-economic and feasibility studies,
• Social and environmental assessment,
• Replicability, scaling-up, and networking,
• Communication, Dissemination, Exploitation), and
• Management.

3. ACHIEVED OUTPUTS (If the project is ongoing)

Activities in progress include the following:

• Establishment of an Energy Transition Board in Sierra Leone;
• Installation and testing of digester;
• Installation of Demonstrator in Kenya; and
• Installation of Demonstrator in Madagascar.