Sharing Renewable Energy Generation through, Mobile Energy Storage (MES)

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Innovate UK
Innovate UK
Innovate UK
Innovate UK
Innovate UK

£1,250,745

April 30, 2023

April 30, 2024

Climate change is the defining issue of our time. from shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impact of climate change is global in scope and unprecedented in scale.

We must move rapidly to ensure that a greater proportion of our energy is generated from renewable sources. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the required Energy Transition will predominantly be achieved through Independent Power Producers (IPPs) who secure their funding from Global Capital markets.

Whilst the mitigation of climate change is urgent and essential, it is also vital that we see a fair transition to a new energy infrastructure, a transition is therefore needed which does not leave behind poor and disadvantaged communities.

In South Africa, the generation of renewable energy has been encouraged through the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Programme (REIPPP). This programme requires IPPs to allocate 2.5% of their total funding to socio-economic projects.

This project seeks to test the feasibility of charging a bank of small batteries from solar farms installed by IPPs, then utilising those batteries to provide power to low income/rural households and micro businesses. It is envisaged that the power would be provided free of charge as part of the IPPs social commitment. The feasibility project will specifically address the viability of delivering this project in Kwa Zulu-Natal, focusing on a cluster of five off grid villages around the town of Cato Ridge. We will also test the model through discussions with a number of IPPs, working in South Africa.

The operational model we wish to test is for a social enterprise to manage the distribution of the batteries to households within a prescribed programme. It is envisaged that the batteries would be replaced on a weekly basis. We wish to test the ideal size of battery for this purpose and the most practical arrangements for this, within a dispersed rural community.

The project will be structured to ensure that at least 50% of the beneficiaries of the project are women living in rural areas.

There are a number of specific innovations within the project

**Technical Innovations**

(i) AI supported Business Model which supports IPPs in their planning of effective socio-economic programmes.

(ii) Affordable mini energy router;

**Business Innovations**

Social enterprise "energy for rent" shops;

**Sustainable community Innovations**

Mitigate energy poverty in rural areas.

Create jobs for local community

Support women entrepreneurs