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Rwanda Replication Action

Battery Pack and Module Discharge Capacity Testers – Geoffrey Gasore

Replication action description

The Rwanda replication action is working with SLS Energy and Eco-Green for as a replication country in the SESA project. SLS is located in the capital city of Kigali and provides energy storage solutions using retired batteries from electric vehicles (EVs) or salvaged from the electronic waste streams. Eco-Green Rwanda, also located in Kigali, is working on improving cookstove efficiency and scale-up.

Rwanda replication action is working with two Kigali-based companies serving communities in both urban and rural areas. These companies work on cookstoves and second life batteries solutions. Rwanda replication action objectives are:

  1. To improve efficiency of local production of cook stoves to a total of 1,500 per year.
  2.  To analyse cookstoves supply chain and develop circular economy strategy to decrease production costs and maximise local procurement in Rwanda.
  3. To develop a comprehensive marketing strategy to raise awareness about battery-as-a service with second-life batteries.
  4. To Scale-up repurposing of battery cells from electric vehicles, measuring remaining energy storage capacity in each battery cell (EVs).

Replication action activities

  1.  Scoped out research to understand the status of clean technologies in Rwanda, country priorities, and companies involved in development of clean cooking technologies, solar powered irrigation, second life EV batteries, and solar mini grid.
  2. Identified challenges in clean cooking technologies, solar powered irrigation, and second life EV battery applications.
  3. Identified KPIs specific to Rwanda repliation action.
  4. Set milestones specific to Rwanda replication action. 

 

Planned activities

  1. To provide skills training to local artisans in the fabrication of cookstoves, aiming to generate employment opportunities.
  2. Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy to raise awareness about battery-as-a-service with second-life batteries offering for new customer segments.
  3. Publish findings as a white paper in partnership SLS.
  4. To analyse cookstoves supply chain and develop circular economy strategy to decrease production costs and maximise local procurement in Rwanda. 
  5. To raise awareness about battery-as-a service with second-life batteries.

 

Description of the problem addressed

The Rwanda replication action will address the following challenges pertaining to cookstoves: 

  1. Low efficiency of Cookstoves 
  2. High production cost of cookstoves 
  3. Low scaling rate of cookstoves

 Challenges related to second life EV batteries include: 

  1. Low awareness about battery-as-a service with second-life batteries offering for new customer segments.
  2. Low lifespan of batteries  
  3. Low scale-up of second life EVs batteries for other purposes 

Objectives

1

Improving the efficiency of local production of cook stoves to a total of 1,500 per year. 

2

Analysing cookstove supply chains and develop a circular economy strategy to decrease production costs and maximise local procurement in Rwanda. 

3

Developing a comprehensive marketing strategy to raise awareness about battery-as-a service with second-life batteries.

Technology being tested

 

Rwanda replication action will work on two technologies namely Second life EVs and Cookstoves
Work with the cookstoves technology will involve:

  1. Improving the efficiency of local cook stove production to a total of 1,500 per year.
    2. Developing growth strategies on how to reach various new customer segments (peri-urban, urban and rural customer segments that are currently not subsidised).
    3. Conducting a local supply chain(s) analysis and develop circular economy strategy to decrease production costs and maximise local procurement in Rwanda.

 

Work with second life EVs will involve:
1. Conducting an in-depth market analysis and acquisition of new mini-grid customer & end-users (households and markets in off-grid communities).
2. Developing a comprehensive marketing strategy to raise awareness about battery-as-a service with second-life batteries offering for new customer segments.
3. Scaling-up repurposing of battery cells from electric vehicles, measuring remaining energy storage capacity in each battery cell (EVs).
4. Publishing findings in partnership with University of Rwanda (UR).