In an era where sustainable energy solutions and justice are paramount to mitigating climate change, RePower is at the forefront of enhancing rural electrification with its innovative modular and scalable Plug and Play (PnP) microgrid system. This initiative aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), focusing on energy efficiency, increasing the renewable energy mix, and ensuring affordable access for community adoption. The Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) in collaboration with key partners on the RePower Project (an EU-funded project) is changing the narratives in off-grid communities in Madagascar, Senegal, Niger, and Ghana. The first community to collaborate on this impactful project is Ambararatabe, a promising community for economic advancement in Madagascar, but totally off the national grid; these communities in Sub-saharan Africa hold a huge potential for renewable energy expansion but renewable energy, like most commodities needed for the just energy transition, is not cheap to those who need it the most.
In April 2024, Ambararatabe received positive news that could change everything for the better; the development of a renewable energy plug-and-play system with 252 kW, 464 kWh/400kW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and an extended productive use of; 1 Solar cooling system (Cooltainer)
40 Solar water pumps, 40 Solar streetlights, and 4 Water purification systems to power the entire community and boost agricultural activities. RePower is working with the community to define what a just energy transition in rural Africa looks like.
As part of the Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO)’s commitment to foster a just energy transition in Africa, GAYO is leading the RePower initiative which aims to expand renewable energy access to off-grid rural communities in Africa. RePower seeks to shift away from the current reliance on fluctuating solar PV power sources towards a more integrated approach. This new model features modular, plug-and-play compatible microgrid systems with improved renewable Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and advanced Energy Management Systems (EMS).
Additionally, central to the RePower is the concept of Energy Communities – citizen-driven energy actions that contribute to the clean energy transition, advancing energy efficiency within local communities. By design, energy communities contribute to increasing public acceptance of renewable energy projects and make it easier to attract private investments in the clean energy transition. Hinged on the principle of community co-creation, RePower is intentional about stakeholder engagement, local capacity building, particularly among young people, gender mainstreaming, and aligning each project phase with local policy frameworks.
GAYO, together with their local partners in Ambararatabe, carried out a comprehensive environmental, social, economic, and governance survey to understand the community’s energy needs and inform the development of a tailored tariff structure for the PnP microgrid system, that ensures affordable access to energy to drive the Productive Use of Energy (PUE). Key highlights from the study are that energy is expensive for local communities, with renewables even more expensive for the people who need it the most. The idea of renewables getting cheaper is blowing out of proportion, but that is not the case for the people in Ambararatabe. Interestingly, the people of Ambararatabe are rather reliant predominantly on these small solar panels but the battery storage to help them get the most out of the renewables is very expensive, driving energy poverty and the unproductive use of energy.
A major part of the RePower project is to build the talent and skills within the local communities to ensure the maintenance and sustainability of the microgrid. As part of the assessment, the educational level, local talent availability, volunteerism, youth and women groups were all assessed and engaged, luckily the youth groups are hungry for change, meaningful engagement, and sustainability of projects providing a welcoming mind to ensure the sustainability of the project.
As an EU-funded initiative with multiple partners including the University of Nairobi (UoN) and Africa GreenTec, RePower is building a collaborative partnership to scale the impact of the project across Africa. The project is scheduled to expand to the other demo communities; Niger, Senegal, and a replication in Ghana in 2025 producing a roadmap for scalability across Africa.
The surveys conducted in Ambararatabe provide crucial insights into the community’s energy habits and needs. These findings highlight the importance of developing tailored energy solutions to address specific challenges, such as the high initial cost of solar equipment and reliance on firewood for cooking.
RePower’s initiative underscores the need for participatory collaborations, ensuring that local communities’ perspectives are integral to the project’s success. By embracing renewable energy and community-driven approaches, Ambararatabe is poised to become a model for rural electrification, illuminating a path toward sustainable development and improved quality of life.
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