A global impact of local scalable energy solutions

Across the diverse landscapes of Africa within SESA and ENERGICA, communities are taking the lead in developing ingenious energy solutions, tailored to their specific needs and contexts. The event will feature engaging discussions exploring lastingly impactful advancements in areas such as:

• Electric Mobility: Discovering sustainable transportation solutions.
• Water Treatment: Examining energy-efficient methods for clean water access.
• Clean Cooking: Exploring solutions for healthier and more sustainable cooking practices.
• Mini-grids: Unpacking the potential of local power networks.
• Natural Resource Conservation: Highlighting the synergy between ecological responsibility and energy innovation.

Attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear directly from experts and practitioners who are piloting these innovative energy solutions in eleven African countries (Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Tanzania). These sessions will go over the critical factors enabling progress, including supportive policy frameworks, promising private investment avenues, and essential capacity-building initiatives.

 

Bridging the gap between policy and innovation

The event will also strategically focus on aligning our two projects with international initiatives, such as the EU-Africa: Global Gateway Investment Package and the AU-EU Innovation Agenda. A central theme will be the process of transforming successful pilot solutions into scalable and sustainable business models, laying a foundation for the next exciting phase of Africa’s energy transition.

 

Who should attend?

‘Africa in Transition’ is a must-attend event for:

• Journalists and media representatives: Seeking to cover this pivotal moment in Africa’s development.
• Policymakers: Interested in shaping effective energy policies and fostering international collaboration.
• Researchers: Eager to exchange knowledge and explore the latest advancements in sustainable energy.
• NGOs: Working on the ground to promote sustainable development and energy access.
• SMEs: Looking for opportunities to invest in and contribute to Africa’s burgeoning energy sector.
• Regulatory Bodies: Involved in creating enabling environments for sustainable energy growth.

This event offers a unique and valuable networking opportunity for all participants to exchange ideas, forge new partnerships, and gain practical insights from real-world case studies across Africa’s dynamic energy sector.

 

Event Details:

• • Date: 20-21 May 2025
  • Venue: Le Bouche à Oreille, Rue Félix Hap, 11 – 1040, Brussels, Belgium
  • Free of cost

 

 

Agenda:

20 May – Day 1: 

08.30 – 09.00 Registration

09.00 – 09.30 Welcome and Introduction

09:30 – 11:00  Advancing the Green Transition and Sustainable Growth in Africa: policies perspective

With speakers:

• Philippe Schild, Senior Expert Clean Energy Transition, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission 
• Marianne Walpert, Co-Founder, Simusolar, Tanzania  
• EIB Representative, TBC
• Kasper Rodil, Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, Aalborg University 

 

11.00 – 11.30 Coffee break

 

11:30 – 13:30 Exploring the Living Labs in Africa

Moderator: Oliver Lah, TUB

Session 1: Rural and peri-urban e-mobility in Kenya 

• Charles Ogalo, WeTu, Kenya 
• Habib Lukaya, Roam Electric, Kenya 

Session 2: Mini and nano-grids: decentralised energy solutions in Ghana and Madagascar

Moderator: Edmund Teko, TUB  

• Samuel Asare, Nastech Power Solutions, Ghana 
• Nicolas Saincy Nanogrids Nanoe Energica, Madagascar 

Session 3: Exploring the Water-Food-Energy nexus in Malawi, Sierra Leone and Tanzania

Moderator: TBC

• Gift Mwangairo, Smart Energy Enterprise, Malawi  
• Sisty Basil, Elico Foundation, Tanzania 
• Hugo Hoekstra, The Waste Transformers, country  
• Ami Dumbuya, Freetown Waste Transformers, Sierra Leone 

 

13.30 – 14.30 Lunch

14:30 – 16:00 Building scalable business models in energy access : Highlights, Insights, and Key Learnings

Moderators: Lakshimi Bhamidipati, UNEP CCC, Alemu Belay (Smart Innovation Norway)

• E-Mobility: Kenya (WeTu), and Morocco (GEP)  
• W-E-F Solar Irrigation: Kenya (WeTu), Tanzania (SimuSolar), and Malawi (SEE) 
• Micro/Nano-Grid: Ghana (Nastech) and Madagascar (Energica)  

 

16:00 – 17:30 Concluding remarks & networking aperitif

 

 

21 May – Day 2: 

08.30 – 09.00 Registration

09:00 – 11:00 Enhancing capacity for a sustainable energy transition: Lessons and future directions

Moderator: TBC 

11.00 – 11.30 Coffee break

11:30 – 13:30 Watt counts: Tracking the impact of energy innovation

Moderatosr: Esther van Bergen, Jorden Vander Hoogt, CENEX NL, Nargish Parvin, RISE  

13.30 – 14.30 Lunch

14.30 – 15.00 Closing

 

 

More about our partner project behind the event:

Energy Access in Urban and Rural Africa (ENERGICA):

ENERGICA is a dynamic project uniting 11 European and 17 African partners with a shared vision of promoting sustainable energy solutions across both continents. The project focuses on developing innovative solutions at three key sites: nano-grids for water and food security in rural Madagascar, biogas and water purification systems in peri-urban Sierra Leone, and solar-powered electric mobility solutions for mototaxis in urban Kenya. ENERGICA’s co-creation approach ensures that the developed solutions are deeply rooted in local needs, fostering greater market uptake and long-term sustainability. The project aims to positively impact 1,500 stakeholders through local business development, job creation, and the promotion of local manufacturing, ultimately driving lasting social, economic, and environmental benefits by integrating energy access with broader economic development.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation shaping a sustainable energy future for Africa and the world!