PREO invests £2M to power clean energy innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa

 

The Powering Renewable Energy Opportunities (PREO) programme has committed over £2 million in catalytic grant funding for its fourth round, supporting diverse, innovative business models across sub-Saharan Africa.

Fourteen companies were selected through a competitive open call, each focused on harnessing clean energy to drive a just and inclusive energy transition across the region.

This round of funding builds on a broader package of support that PREO has provided since its inception, with over £5.94 million awarded to 34 companies across 11 sub-Saharan African countries, resulting in the creation of 467 jobs.

Backed by the IKEA Foundation and UK aid through the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform, PREO is delivered in partnership with the Carbon Trust and Mercy Corps’ Energy 4 Impact.

The overwhelming response to the call for applications—more than 240 submissions from 29 countries—highlighted the significant demand for funding to support and scale innovative business models aimed at accelerating the adoption of renewable energy solutions.

The total funding requested was 17 times greater than the amount available.

Each selected company will receive between £86,000 and £237,000 over one to two years, along with technical support.

PREO aims to showcase the viability of Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) in areas such as agri-processing, cooling, solar irrigation, e-waste recycling, e-mobility, healthcare, and education.

Highlighted initiatives in this funding phase include:

• Simusolar, a Ugandan supplier of solar-powered agricultural equipment, enhancing productivity for smallholder farmers through solar irrigation solutions.
• AG Energies, offering a battery-swapping service for electric tuk-tuks and motorcycles in Tanzania.
• Jokosun, improving operations for local fishers in Senegal by providing hubs for charging and distributing batteries for electric boats.
• SLS Energy, implementing an ‘Irrigation-as-a-Service’ model with rechargeable battery packs and electric pumps for smallholder farmers.
• Farm Warehouse, piloting an e-commerce application for processed products from smallholder farmers while distributing productive use equipment and providing warehousing for produce.
• Chaji, installing fast EV chargers in commercial centres and developing financing options for electric three-wheelers in Nairobi and Mombasa.
• Hinckley E-Waste, developing second-life batteries to power telecom towers, reducing reliance on diesel generators in Nigeria.
• ICE Solar, providing rooftop solar solutions to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria through subscription models, while also training local youth.
• Drop Access, introducing VacciBox to market, a solar-powered cooling service for health facilities in Kenya, aimed at increasing vaccination rates and reducing vaccine waste.
• Acele Africa, repurposing 125,000 discarded lithium cells into second-life batteries for solar applications.
• Strathmore University, working with its spin-out company Evonet to validate Sunsafe, a mobile app designed to address inaccurate solar system sizing in rural Kenya.
• Mazi Mobility, conducting a study on battery swapping stations as a viable business model for e-mobility in Africa.
• Ecobora, implementing a Cooking-as-a-Service model and installing solar-powered cooking boilers in schools to replace firewood.
• Inter Ethiopia Solutions, enhancing access to renewable energy while refurbishing discarded electronic equipment.

Resilience, Growth, and Livelihoods

This phase of PREO funding aligns with the broader mission to foster climate resilience, economic development, and job creation across sub-Saharan Africa.

By supporting innovative companies, PREO is scaling impactful initiatives that leverage clean energy technologies, enhance livelihoods, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Richa Goyal, Programme Manager at the IKEA Foundation, commented: “With this latest round, PREO reaffirms its role as the only dedicated platform for testing business models that focus on the productive use of renewable energy. The selected innovations have the potential to transform sectors by delivering first-time clean energy access to businesses and institutions.”

Rhiannon Turner, PREO Programme Lead at the Carbon Trust, added: “We are excited to announce the latest line-up of companies supported in this phase of PREO. As demonstrated by the range of sectors and technologies represented, there is immense potential to prove the viability of business models that drive income creation and improve livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa.”

PREO’s continued efforts, supported by the IKEA Foundation and UK aid, have significantly advanced the productive use of renewable energy since 2019.

Its latest report, *”Powering Prosperity: The Socio-Economic Benefits of the Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) in Africa”*, underscores the impact of these interventions.

By Beth Nyaga