This deliverable summarises the SESA project’s cooperation with other EU-funded initiatives to enhance sustainable energy development in Africa. The strategy underscores the importance of collaboration among projects like ENERGICA, REFFECT AFRICA, SophiA, SteamBioAfrica, LEAP-RE, and SolutionsPlus, which share the common goal of accelerating the green transition and energy access across the continent.

Executive Summary

This deliverable summarises the SESA project’s cooperation with other EU-funded initiatives to enhance sustainable energy development in Africa. The strategy underscores the importance of collaboration among projects like ENERGICA, REFFECT AFRICA, SophiA, SteamBioAfrica, LEAP-RE, and SolutionsPlus, which share the common goal of accelerating the green transition and energy access across the continent. By leveraging synergies across thematic areas such as off-grid energy solutions, clean cooking technologies, and electric mobility, the strategy aims to foster innovation, knowledge sharing, and capacity building. Through detailed mapping and analysis of sister projects, the report identifies opportunities for co-developing innovations, enhancing technology transfer, and facilitating joint research and publications. The report also outlines specific cooperation mechanisms, including country learning exchanges, technical collaboration on renewable energy technologies, and joint capacity-building initiatives. Success metrics are proposed to evaluate the effectiveness of these collaborative efforts in achieving sustainable and scalable energy solutions in Africa. This strategic approach is envisioned to not only advance the SESA project’s objectives but also contribute significantly to the broader EU-Africa partnership on renewable energy.

D5.1 aimed to gather a minimum of 10 scale-up concept projects to develop them into project proposals for transformational, innovative, and integrated sustainable energy projects. Four of these concepts were further supported with pre-feasibility studies that follow the requirements of targeted financial institutions.

Executive summary

Brief overview
Task 5.1 (T5.1) was a key task under Work Package 5 in the Smart Energy Solutions for Africa (SESA) Project aimed at developing concepts and pre feasibility studies (PFS) for transformational sustainable energy projects. Led by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability e.V. (ICLEI WS) and supported by multiple SESA Partners, T5.1 played a critical role in advancing energy access innovations with high potential for scalability and replicability, ultimately contributing to the development of 27 concept notes on smart energy solutions received during the Call for Ideas, of which 10 projects were developed and four were supported with PFS.

Purpose & Scope
The primary objectives of T5.1 were to:
• Facilitate the scale-up and long-term sustainability of innovative energy solutions in the project’s countries.
• Develop viable project concepts and implementation plans for scaled-up initiatives.
• Conduct pre-feasibility studies to attract additional financing.
• Facilitate the access of the projects to potential financiers, such as regional and multilateral development banks.

Summary of key findings
To achieve its goals, T5.1 followed a structured, three-step methodology designed to identify, refine, and support innovative energy solutions across SESA countries. Throughout the process, the eligibility criteria and evaluation framework were carefully developed and agreed upon through consultations. Such a rigorous selection approach ensured that the most promising and impactful projects were supported, laying the groundwork for further investment and implementation. Ultimately, these efforts contribute to advancing sustainable energy access and fostering innovation across urban and rural communities.

The deliverable D4.4 ‘Report on replication roadmaps for (at least 4) sites’ consists of the highlights and main outcomes from the three regional workshops conducted individually with demonstration, validation, and replication partners involved. This deliverable also documents the methodology used in the three regional workshops. The methodology has evolved gradually in the three workshops to cater to the target audience. The deliverable is an easy-to-navigate document that highlights the methodologies, learnings, and outcomes from the workshops. The sequential implementation of the activities around the workshops is presented as replication roadmaps and developed into a three-phase replication approach. This can be used as an inspiration and guidance in future replication and exploitation.

Executive Summary

The deliverable D4.4, titled “Report on Replication Roadmaps for (at least 4) sites” focuses on developing the replication roadmaps based on the three regional workshops. The report encapsulates the main outcomes from three regional workshops conducted with demonstration, validation, and replication partners.

The report begins with an introduction that provides background information about the deliverable, its relation to other tasks within the SESA project, and its overall structure. It emphasizes the importance of the methodologies and approaches developed and used during the workshops for future replication.

The second chapter details the highlights and main outcomes of the three regional workshops held in Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda. Each workshop’s purpose, methodology, activities, and key takeaways are thoroughly discussed. The workshops focused on topics such as business
 modelling, market segmentation, revenue models, and other crucial aspects to ensure the longterm sustainability and impact of the solutions developed by the SESA living labs and SMEs.

The third chapter presents the replication potential of the SESA sites, using the METOS template. This template covers crucial parameters such as market potential, economic viability, technological advancements, organizational growth, and sustainability. The chapter includes inputs from various living labs and SMEs, outlining their future goals and plans for growth. Some SMEs foresee growth in terms of expanding in new countries. Some LLs and SMEs foresee the growing impact of their solutions and services in rural areas to serve customer needs and provide energy access.

The fourth chapter presents the overview of the SESA solutions, integral activities from the project and a table for key outcomes, learnings and observed challenges. Following this, the three-phase approach for replication roadmaps is developed: Assess, Implement, and Impact. Each phase includes specific activities that can be used as guide and inspiration by other replicators, stakeholders and enterprises working with similar products and solutions. This approach holistically provides the replication roadmaps for smart energy solutions in different regions in Africa.

The report concludes by summarising the key points and providing final thoughts on how the deliverable can serve as a guide for future replication and exploitation. It can be recommended that the replicators should also understand the market segmentation for their businesses and products, and engage with the customers and end-users to understand the needs and challenges. In addition, it is also recommended that the new replicators understand the significance of each activity, methodology and tool used in the workshop interactions with the LLs and SMEs. This is to ensure that the  learnings from the project can be shared beyond the project boundaries to achieve the long-term goals of the SESA project and drive sustainable development in Africa.

This document summarizes the activities of Work Package 3, Task 3.3 and outlines the approach and progress related to business model and business plan development across the five living labs in Kenya, Morocco, Ghana, Malawi, and South Africa. This document is the final project report and provide updates until August 2025.

Executive Summary

This deliverable summarizes the activities of Task 3.3 within Work Package 3 of the Smart Energy Solutions for Africa (SESA) project. The SESA project entails supporting demonstrations and validation sites across Kenya, Morocco, Ghana, Malawi and South Africa, and multiple replication sites.

Task 3.3 involves supporting the co-development and co-testing of nine business models as part of the demonstration actions and living labs. The key objective is to provide support to ventures1 in developing viable and sustainable business models, to document learnings and reflections around successes and failures, to enable peer-to-peer knowledge exchanges among the partners, and to demonstrate the scalability possibility for some of the use cases. Some ventures are already a member of the SESA consortium while others were selected as part of the living lab stakeholders or through the SESA Call for Entrepreneurs, as follows:

• Kenya: WeTu (consortium member)
• Malawi: Going Green and Make it Green (consortium members) as well as Smart Energy Enterprise (SEE) selected through the first SESA Call for Entrepreneurs Validation Call, based on a rigorous process through Task 3.4.
• South Africa: uYilo (consortium member)
• Morocco: Green Energy Park (consortium member) in collaboration with local SMEs POGO
• Ghana: Nastech and Econexus – selected through the first SESA Call for Entrepreneurs, based on a rigorous process through Task 3.4.

This report is the fourth and final deliverable as part of Task 3.3. In the fourth year, the focus has been on expanding and reflecting on learnings across the use cases, updating operational and financial data for advanced pilots (e.g. e-mobility Kenya and Morocco), exploring the business dimensions and performance (e.g., cooling Kenya, EV in South Africa), testing and improving efficiency (e.g., EV in Kenya, briquetting Malawi) and scaling product and service rollouts to more users (e.g., EV in Morocco, cooling Kenya, briquetting Malawi).

The report also highlights cross-collaborations and coordination within and among WPs, in which Task 3.3 has played an active role in and that will better inform the work collectively in the project. In addition, the report briefly summarises the use cases in the 5 countries within the scope of the task and indicates the progress underway and the next steps. This deliverable has been updated every year in M12, M24, M36 and M48.

This report presents the scope and details of the work conducted under Task 2.5 regarding SESA’s Community of Practice (hereafter CoP), led jointly by UNEP-CCC and UNEP. The report will present a status of the CoPs activities and present an overview of the main outputs delivered by each of the CoP partners under the three Communities of Practice, namely: The Solar PV CoP, the Waste to Energy (hereafter WtE), and the Electric-mobility CoP (hereafter E-mobility).

Executive Summary

This report presents an overview of the activities undertaken as part of SESA’s task 2.5, which focuses on Global Training, Communities of Practice (CoPs), and E-Learning.

Led by the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre (UNEP-CCC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the task aims to foster knowledge sharing, collaboration, and capacitybuilding across Africa in support of sustainable energy solutions, building on the many activities led by the SESA partners throughout the project’s duration.

A central component of task 2.5 is the development and coordination of Communities of Practice
(CoPs), structured around three thematic areas:

• Waste to Energy and Clean Cooking
• Solar PV
• Electric Mobility and E-Batteries

The report details the structure, operations, and outputs of each Cop. Together, the CoPs and ELearning efforts made significant contributions to SESA’s overarching mission of accelerating the adoption and scalability of sustainable energy innovations across Africa, particularly via the six webinars organized, 3 podcast episodes launched, and 12 knowledge products, which have reached a wide community of experts inside and outside SESA.

These CoPs have served as collaborative platforms where SESA project experts, country partners, and stakeholders can exchange experiences, share technical knowledge, and disseminate best practices emerging from SESA’s pilot projects and living labs. Their primary objectives include fostering peer-to-peer learning, promoting thematic dialogue, supporting replication and scaling of sustainable energy solutions, and enabling policy, financial, and business frameworks in the region.

Through the creation of virtual forums and the publication of relevant materials, including research outputs, market insights, and case studies, the CoPs have played a vital role in bridging knowledge gaps, strengthening implementation capacity, and linking projects with regional and global networks. Drawing examples from the living labs and pilot areas, the CoP’s activities sought to showcase how the science and practice gap can be bridged across Africa and beyond. Importantly, the Communities are also relevant to ensure the sustainability and long-term impact of SESA’s work by encouraging continued collaboration between partners and external stakeholders beyond the project’s lifespan.

Complementing these efforts, the E-Learning activities under task 2.5 aim to leverage the comprehensive knowledge base accumulated through SESA. This component offers stakeholders access to case studies and practical, real-life insights from project partners, thus enhancing their ability to implement effective energy solutions in Africa and beyond.

The D2.4 Regional Training Activity Report under the SESA (Smart Energy Solutions for Africa) project documents capacity-building efforts aimed at accelerating the adoption of renewable energy and sustainable mobility solutions across Africa. The training activities targeted key stakeholders, including policymakers, industry professionals, SMEs, and students, equipping them with the technical, financial, and entrepreneurial skills necessary for clean energy transition.

The report covers training sessions across West, East, North, and Southern Africa, each tailored to regional energy challenges. West Africa (Ghana) focused on climate finance and hands-on renewable energy training, engaging local government representatives and SMEs. East Africa (Rwanda) emphasized clean cooking technologies and carbon credit markets, particularly empowering women engineers through technical and entrepreneurial training. North Africa (Morocco) explored e-mobility adoption, battery recycling, and business opportunities in sustainable transportation. Southern Africa (South Africa and Malawi) addressed microgrid integration, second-life battery applications, and public-private partnerships, fostering collaboration in renewable energy deployment. 

Key outcomes include enhanced technical skills, increased gender inclusivity, strengthened policy awareness, and expanded stakeholder collaboration. Participants gained hands-on experience in solar PV installation, battery repurpose, clean cooking technology, and energy project financing, ensuring practical application of training knowledge. The initiative also facilitated networking, cross-sector partnerships, and access to policy and business insights crucial for long-term clean energy transitions. The report highlights the need for expanded hands-on training, structured follow-up mentorship, and stronger policy alignment to maximize the impact of regional capacity-building efforts. These training programs contribute to Africa’s energy transition by building local expertise, fostering innovation, and promoting inclusive participation in the renewable energy sector, aligning with SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).