D1.1 Toolbox for efficient and sustainable energy use

Jan 26, 2022
Blog The scalable and harmonised toolbox will be the key living repository of the project collecting the main outcomes and results produced by the SESA project across the different WPs. The toolbox launch is intended to build a structure of regular iterative updates from various Work Packages through the course of the project. Executive summary SESA – Smart Energy Solutions for Africa is a collaborative project between the European Union and nine African countries that aims at providing innovative energy solutions using decentralised renewables. This report describes the energy efficient toolbox that has been developed in work package 1 of the SESA project and is continuously updated. Although the toolbox falls in the work package 1, it is intrinsically linked to many activities that are undertaken by all partners within other work packages and are expected to provide valuable insights, tools and other relevant output. Content developed in other work packages will be included (or adapted) to be made available in the Toolbox. The Toolbox is envisioned to be a legacy outcome of the SESA project that can support the development of energy efficient solutions beyond the scope of the project. This report explains the process that has been put...

D2.1 SESA Capacity Building Plan

Jan 23, 2023
Blog The aim of the plan is to provide an overview of the capacity building programme. It will be a single document resulting from the capacity and skills needs assessment on energy use in partner cities with all relevant stakeholders presenting a sound and tailored learning plan. The capacity plan will outline the learning topics/themes, the sequence, location and timing of training, capacity and skills building activities; the implementation of which will result capacity building, city-to-city cooperation and professional development Executive summary The Capacity Building Plan, developed through Smart Energy Solutions For Africa (SESA) project, intends to assist the SESA project and its partners and the local communities engaged to strategically identify capacity and skills development topics, methods and tools to support a further uptake of sustainable energy use in selected urban and rural areas in Africa known as “Living Laboratories” (“Living Labs” in short). The project Living labs are real-life test beds for innovative energy solutions, which will enable the project to experiment in different environments. The urban and rural areas under discussion are as follows: Kisumu and Homabay, Kenya (Demonstration Living Lab); Ga North Municipal Assembly and Atwima Nwabiagya, Ghana (Validation Living Lab); Alicedale, South Africa (Validation Living...

D1.5 Data storage repository

Jan 23, 2023
Blog This deliverable report will describe the repository for managing and storing digital data for WP1 throughout the project. It will describe the key data management principles, notably in terms of data standards and metadata, sharing, archiving and preservation – activities within T1.3. Executive summary SESA – Smart Energy Solutions for Africa is a collaborative project between the European Union and nine African countries that aims at providing innovative energy solutions using decentralized renewables. This Data storage Repository Plan (DRP) report describes the approach for its repository environment based on how the data flows in relation to the development of the SESA Toolbox and the Evaluation Framework. This relates to WP1 itself as well as the data generated and used for activities in other WPs, both for the creation of content for the Toolbox and the Evaluation Framework’s various analysis and assessments about the energy solutions that are demonstrated, validated and replicated. This repository environment is not meant to function as an open-science database and access is therefore intended to remain internal to SESA partners. Data intended to be made publicly available may flow through this environment before it will be shared via SESA’s publicly accessible dissemination channels and activities....

D4.1 Five demonstration implementation plans

Jan 23, 2023
Blog For all partner cities or counties, demonstration implementation plans (at least 5) will be developed (Task 4.1). By bringing together the knowledge gained in WP1, WP3 and linking to the activities planned in WP2, the plans will outline concrete steps for the ​demonstration phase helping to set the base for a successful implementation. The plans will include 1 modular living lab demonstration plan in Kenya, and 4 validation demonstration plans in Morocco, Ghana, Malawi and South Africa. Executive summary This deliverable summarizes the on-going activities of Work Package 4 of the Sustainable Energy Solutions Africa (SESA) project (European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation framework programme under Grant Agreement No. 101037141). The SESA project involves a modular living lab demonstration action in Kenya, 4 validation demonstration projects in Morocco, Ghana, Malawi, and South Africa, and 4 replication demonstration projects in Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Nigeria. This report comprises Five demonstration Implementation Plans (for Kenya, Morocco, Ghana, Malawi and South Africa) and set up of the regional platform to satisfy deliverable 4.1. The five implementation plans and the regional platform set up have been collated in this one report. The SESA project draws upon thematic experts from Europe and Africa...

D6.1 Dissemination, exploitation and replication strategy and updates

Jan 23, 2023
Blog A sound and coherent strategy will be delivered to ensure an effective outreach, exploitation, dissemination and communication of the project and its wide impact. The document will include information about the visual identity of the project considering also the country specificities, identifies relevant channels and set an appropriate timeline that will also secure the engagement of all project partners and their networks. The document will be further updated to include the inputs received and adjust the strategy as needed to guarantee its success. Executive summary This document sets out the communication, dissemination and exploitation strategy for SESA. The strategy identifies opportunities for public outreach and engagement throughout the project and plans appropriate activities related to the different work packages of the project. This is a dynamic document that will be updated on a regular basis to respond to new developments and opportunities during the implementation process of the project. This document is structured as follows: Chapter 2 presents the communication and marketing methodology adopted by the project to ensure it attracts, engages with and retains SESA audiences (national and local governments, industry, SMEs and startups, energy providers and energy authorities, financing institutions, research and innovation community and civil society)....

D7.4 Risk analysis and risk management plan

Jan 23, 2023
Blog This document will present a detailed risk management plan acknowledging the probability of occurrence of identified risks or the emergence of new one establishing avoidance and mitigation actions. The plan, periodically reassessed and discussed with the Steering Group, will include an adequate measurement method of progress (risk indicators) as well as the “acceptability level” of each risk. The risks analysis will be based on the traditional “level of impact x probability of occurrence” approaches (scale 1-5). Executive summary This deliverable describes the SESA project’s approach to mitigating foreseen and unforeseen risks that may hinder the smooth implementation of project actions and stifle the delivery of objectives. The SESA project involves a modular living lab demonstration action in Kenya, 4 validation demonstration projects in Morocco, Ghana, Malawi, and South Africa, and 4 replication demonstration projects in Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Nigeria. Taking into account the level of innovations in the demonstration actions as well as the high number of partners involved in the implementation activities, the project and its partners acknowledge the possibility of some uncertain events or situations from within and outside the project posing threats to the smooth implementation of actions which could eventually negatively affect project aims....

D7.5 Data Management Plan

Jan 23, 2023
Blog A Data Management Plan will be a living document that will present the status of the project’s reflections on data management. Purpose of the document is to provide detailed information on the informed consent procedures that will be implemented regarding the collection, storage and protection of personal data that might be collected in the activities of stakeholder engagement throughout the project. The Plan will take into consideration the different methods used and purposes used for data collection and provide partners to ensure the legal compliance. Executive summary This document (deliverable D7.5) describes the SESA project Data Management Plan (DMP), which outlines how data will be handled during the project lifetime. The data collection, sharing and storing process is described in this document, following a methodology aligned with the H2020 guidelines on data management. The document describes how collected data will be managed in the demonstration projects. Data security and personal data protection security are outlined in this deliverable. The deliverable also touches on how data generated in this project will comply with the FAIR approach (findable, accessible, interoperable, re-usable). In addition to this deliverable, more details on the data gathering will be included in other relevant documents to be...

Futuring from an indigenous community stance: projecting temporal duality from the past into the future

Aug 09, 2023

Blog

Authors:

Chris Muashekele (AAU), Kasper Rodil (AAU), Heike Winschiers-Theophilus (NUST), Christof Magoath (Donkerbos community)

Executive summary:

This paper presents the first instance and experience of futuring with a rural San community from the Kalahari desert in Donkerbos, Namibia. Over a series of sessions we explore divergent speculative design and design fiction methods to stimulate and invoke alternative green energy use cases. These alternatives are premised on the imagination of unorthodox green energy use, superseding interventionist energy use which is constantly propagated and mainstream. We showcase the application of speculative design and design fiction in challenging the dominant interventionist approach and singular temporal view, resulting in a dissentient dual temporality. As well as demonstrate its utility and inadequacies in transitioning an African rural indigenous community into the speculative, arguing for the appropriation and widening of futuring methods in an African context.

 

Ancestral and Cultural Futuring: Speculative Design in an Indigenous ovaHimba context

Aug 09, 2023

Blog

Authors:

Chris Muashekele (AAU), Heike Winschiers-Theophilus (NUST), Kasper Rodil (AAU), Alphons Koruhama (NUST)

Executive summary:

This paper presents the first instance and experience of futuring in two indigenous ovaHimba communities in northwest Namibia. Over a series of sessions, we, as part of a broad green energy access project, explore futuring to stimulate and invoke alternative green energy use cases. These alternatives are premised on the opposition of the dominant needs-based and interventionist approach and imagination of unorthodox green energy utilisation that supersedes mainstream, rudimentary and obvious energy use. We reflect on the application of futuring, particularly speculative design, in an indigenous context, highlighting the communities’ back-looking future perspective, and relevance and influence of ancestry and culture over the future. As well as accentuate the friction towards speculative design, arguing for its appropriation and alignment to a more grounded design approach. Moreover, we indicate the agency that it provides, allowing local participants to re-evaluate their values and practices and simultaneously determine the integration of technology into the future.

 

Assessment of the biological methane potential of different food residues from a market in Ghana for local residues valorization and biogas production

Jan 29, 2024

Blog

Executive summary

Fuel supply for cooking and heating is one of the major problems in Ghana (Africa). Firewood and liquified  gas petroleum are the most used fuels, but their use has a high environmental impact, due to deforestation and  CO2 emissions. Therefore, more sustainable and accessible energy technologies need to be developed.