SESA Policy briefs on Green electric infrastructure, Agri-food systems, and Acceleration of sustainable growth through Innovation, Education and Awareness Raising

SESA Policy briefs on Green electric infrastructure, Agri-food systems, and Acceleration of sustainable growth through Innovation, Education and Awareness Raising

Despite Africa’s vast renewable energy potential – particularly in solar – more than 600 million people, or approximately 43% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa, still lack access to electricity (IEA, 2022). This enduring energy gap compels millions to rely on polluting and expensive fuels such as kerosene and biomass. These fuels not only strain household finances but also pose serious health risks and contribute significantly to environmental degradation (WHO, 2024) 

The burden of energy poverty disproportionately affects women and girls, deepening gender inequalities by increasing unpaid domestic labour, reducing access to education, and limiting participation in income-generating activities (UN Women, 2021). Furthermore, at the current pace of electrification, coupled with rapid population growth, the number of people without access to electricity is projected to remain largely unchanged in the coming decades (IEA, 2022). 

Despite this, Africa holds vast untapped potential to drive inclusive, clean energy-based development. Realising this potential requires equitable policy frameworks, community-driven innovation, and financing models that empower local actors. The AU-EU Innovation Agenda and the EU’s Global Gateway Africa–Europe Investment Package ,which aim to mobilise up to €150 billion in strategic investments, place innovation and energy access at the heart of the bi-regional partnership. 

Realising Africa’s clean energy future demands more than infrastructure; it calls for inclusive innovation ecosystems, fit-for-purpose financing models, and targeted support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It is within this context that a new generation of business models is emerging – designed to overcome affordability barriers, strengthen local ownership, and scale decentralised energy access. 

This policy brief shares key insights emerging from the EU funded project Smart Energy Solutions for Africa (SESA).  Drawing on lessons from technology demonstrations in Living Labs in Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Morocco, and South Africa, as well as in replication countries Rwanda, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Namibia, this brief identifies key policy challenges and opportunities relevant to future EU development cooperation. It explores four key dimensions relevant for Africa’s energy transition: 1) Green Electric Infrastructure, 2) Agri-food Systems, 3) Acceleration of Sustainable Growth, and 4) Improving Education and Awareness Raising. These findings are intended to inform the work of the EU under its Global Gateway strategy, particularly in ensuring energy investments are both inclusive and transformative.  

By centring innovation, community ownership, and financial inclusion, these efforts align closely with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, as well as with the ambition of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda to co-develop solutions that address shared challenges. However, barriers such as limited consumer awareness, constrained access to finance, and underdeveloped supply chains continue to impede broader adoption and scale-up. 

Finally, no policy or technology can succeed without the engagement of local communities and the leadership of local authorities. A just and inclusive energy transition depends on trust, participatory design, and local ownership. These are not secondary to infrastructure; they are fundamental to impact and scale. 

Outlined below are the most relevant policy insights from the SESA project, intended to inform the work of the EU under its Global Gateway strategy. 

Policy suggestions that support the EU’s Global Gateway strategy 

  • Strengthen regulatory frameworks to accelerate the adoption of decentralised energy technologies and to address installation and maintenance services 
  • Establish robust quality standards in line with international norms 
  • Harmonise Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy  
  • Domesticize manufacturing and local supply chains  
  • Regulate import-export practices  
  • Incentivize standardisation and quality assurance 
  • Tailor economic support mechanisms 
  • Develop and improve battery recycling and e-waste infrastructure   
  • Institutionalize coordination around clean cooking  
  • Deliver targeted trainings and capacity building at all levels   
  • Encourage public awareness through promotional campaigns  
  • Seek out the involvement of women and vulnerable groups to accelerate the adoption of clean energy solutions 
New publication: Practical operation and maintenance manual on community information spots (infospots)

New publication: Practical operation and maintenance manual on community information spots (infospots)

In many communities, accessing reliable internet can be a challenge. Lack of infrastructure, high costs, and limited knowledge can create a significant digital divide. But what if there was a way to provide essential online resources that are both accessible and affordable?

The answer lies in Community Information Spots, or InfoSpots, and a new manual designed to help communities, operators, and users get the most out of them.

Introducing the PRACTICAL OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL ON COMMUNITY INFORMATION SPOTS (INFOSPOTS). Developed by the SESA project (Smart Energy Solutions for Africa) – Authors: Wisam Mansour, Prof. Josef Noll, Jonathan Muringani, Catherine Kimambo, Basic Internet Foundation and funded by the European Union, this guide is your key to unlocking the power of local connectivity

What Exactly Is an InfoSpot?

An InfoSpot is a localized internet access point that provides essential information where traditional internet is weak or too expensive. It’s a clever combination of technology: a powerful antenna that captures weak mobile signals, a Local Network Control Centre that manages Wi-Fi, and a local server that hosts free, cached content. This smart setup ensures communities can access vital information without incurring high data costs.

Why This Manual Is a Must-Have

This manual is more than just a guide—it’s a tool for empowerment. It provides the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure these critical systems are operated sustainably and effectively.

  • Empower Your Community: Learn how to install, test, and manage your local InfoSpot to provide reliable internet access to schools, small businesses, and community members.

  • Save Money & Resources: The manual teaches you best practices for operation and maintenance, helping you reduce unnecessary expenses on repairs and energy waste.

  • Promote Local Development: By providing consistent and reliable internet access, you can help your community bridge the digital divide, access new opportunities, and promote local growth.

  • Gain Practical Skills: Get detailed guidance on troubleshooting common issues and a security-focused approach to system management.

The manual also explains the “Internet Lite for All” concept, which uses a clever freemium model to balance inclusivity with sustainability. It provides free access to essential text-based information while offering premium access for bandwidth-intensive activities. This ensures everyone can access critical resources, regardless of their ability to pay.

This guide serves as an essential resource for system operators, community leaders, and everyday users. By empowering you with the knowledge to maintain your InfoSpot, we can ensure communities everywhere have the tools they need to thrive in a connected world.

New publication: Practical operation and maintenance manual for Solar PV Systems

New publication: Practical operation and maintenance manual for Solar PV Systems

Are you a technician, a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) proprietor, or an ordinary consumer looking to master the operation and maintenance of your solar photovoltaic (PV) systems? Look no further!

Introducing the Practical operation and and Maintenance manual for Solar PV: A Comprehensive Guide to Efficient Solar Energy Management and Maintenance, a new publication from the SESA project (Smart Energy Solution for Africa) – Authors: Engr. Dr Albert Kotawoke Awopone, Prof Isaac Boateng, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED); Edem Foli, Nelson Mandela University (NMU); Silvia Assalini (ICLEI Europe).

This capacity-building manual is your go-to resource for optimising the efficiency, safety, and longevity of your solar PV systems.

What You’ll Gain from This Manual:

  • Valuable Insights for SMEs: Learn the necessary knowledge and skills to optimise energy efficiency, regulate costs, and ensure the longevity of your solar PV systems.
  • Comprehensive Maintenance Guidance: Get extensive, step-by-step instructions on routine maintenance, troubleshooting common issues, and knowing when to call for expert help.
  • Empowerment for All Users: Whether you’re a homeowner or a small business proprietor, this manual will deepen your understanding of your solar PV system’s fundamental operation, performance monitoring, and environmental benefits.
  • Safety First: The manual highlights essential safety protocols to protect individuals interacting with the systems and to prevent accidents.

Key Advantages:

  • Cost Savings: Educate yourself on optimal strategies to operate and maintain your system, which helps eliminate unnecessary expenditures on repairs and wasted energy.
  • Sustainable Practices: By promoting a deeper understanding of solar PV systems, the manual supports the overarching goal of reducing carbon footprints and advancing green energy solutions.
  • Adherence to Standards: The guide assists users in adhering to both domestic and international benchmarks, ensuring your system is up to par.
  • A Practical Resource: This is an indispensable guide for anyone involved in solar PV systems, offering practical, efficient, and security-focused advice.

Empower yourself and embrace sustainable energy with this essential new guide.

A clean energy mission in Africa: SESA final event’s impact in numbers

A clean energy mission in Africa: SESA final event’s impact in numbers

Check out our latest infographic celebrating the success of the SESA-ENERGICA final event!

The final SESA-ENERGICA (Energy Access in Urban and Rural Africa) event in Brussels last May marked the project’s latest and last significant milestone, highlighting the project’s achievements in promoting clean energy and fostering sustainable development across Africa. As showcased in details before, the event brought allowed key stakeholders to discuss a green energy transition that is both effective and equitable.

 

The event notably covered:

  • Policy and Financial Frameworks: The need for supportive policies, tax incentives, and financial support for local energy businesses.
  • Real-World Innovation: The success of “Living Labs” in various countries, showcasing breakthroughs in e-mobility, solar mini-grids, and waste-to-energy solutions.
  • Capacity Building: The role of empowering local communities, SMEs, women, and youth through targeted training to ensure the long-term success of energy projects.

AFRICA IN TRANSITION – FINAL EVENT INFOGRAPHIC

This visual summary captures the essence of the “mission accomplished” feeling, and celebrates SESA’s  contributions to African energy. The infographic is designed to be a comprehensive guide to the event, covering its key aspects in a clear, easy-to-read and use format.

 

Inside, you’ll find:

  • Overall Event Description: A snapshot of the event’s purpose.
  • Attendance Details: A breakdown of who attended.
  • Key Outcomes: A summary of the main discussions and policy recommendations for a sustainable energy transition in Africa.
  • Types of Events: An overview of the different and varied sessions and formats that took place.

 

View the full infographic to see a complete breakdown of the event’s success, and don’t forget to check our other infographics and materials here: 

Mission Accomplished: Looking on our final event in Brussels and celebrating SESA’s contribution to African energy

Mission Accomplished: Looking on our final event in Brussels and celebrating SESA’s contribution to African energy

Africa in Transition: Charting a course for a green energy future

The “Africa in Transition: A Bright Future for Energy and Local Communities” event, held on May 20-21, 2025, in Brussels, marked a significant culmination for the SESA (Smart Energy Solutions for Africa) and ENERGICA (Energy Access in Urban and Rural Africa) projects. This dynamic two-day gathering united a diverse group of stakeholders, from policymakers and entrepreneurs to academics and project coordinators, fostering critical discussions on the advancements, challenges, and future trajectory of sustainable energy across Africa.

 A unified vision for policy and practice

 “The focus of our research and innovation actions with African partners is translating research results into market-ready results by developing renewable energy solutions with local communities to answer their needs, and strengthening local value chains to generate economic growth”. Philippe Schild, Senior Expert Clean Energy Transition, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission

A central theme throughout the event was the critical need for robust policy frameworks to underpin sustainable energy technologies in Africa. Discussions highlighted key recommendations across several central areas:

  • Policy and Regulation: Emphasizing the need for frameworks that support maintenance, strengthen local supply chains, and align with international standards. Specific calls included interoperable charging infrastructure and tax incentives for e-mobility, national support for solar SMEs in mini- and nano-grids, and infrastructure for battery recycling. For clean cooking, improved coordination, integrated planning, and financial strategies, along with carbon credit certification, were deemed vital.
  • Financial Support: The essential role of accessible finance for both SMEs and customers was underscored, with suggestions for microfinance tailored to local needs and dedicated financial strategies for clean cooking SMEs. The European Commission’s active work on instruments like the European Fund for Sustainable Development and the Fund for Energy Inclusiveness was also highlighted.
  • Capacity Building & Awareness: The event stressed the necessity of more training and awareness around new technologies, including identifying skill gaps, providing targeted training through TVETs and universities, and supporting user training via community workshops. Multi-level awareness campaigns, particularly for women and vulnerable groups, were emphasized.
  • Local Impact and Collaboration: Ensuring tangible local impact through stakeholder engagement, needs analysis, and fostering strong collaboration with local authorities and the private sector was a recurring message. Business models, it was emphasized, must be designed to be inclusive of vulnerable groups.
  • Innovation and Scalability: The importance of “demonstrators” in finding practical, African-centric solutions was a key takeaway, with innovation and demonstration going hand-in-hand. EU-Africa initiatives aim to provide tools and opportunities to further develop and commercialise technologies, building on existing successes rather than starting from scratch.

Discussions were led by Philippe Schild, Senior expert in clean energy transition, DG Research and Innovation, from the European Commission; Marianne Walpert, Co-founder of Simusolar Tanzania; Laura Giappichelli, Policy Officer forClimate Change and Sustainable Energy, Nuclear Safety, DG International Partnerships, from the European Commission; Gregor Riss, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Relevant Ventures; and Kasper Rodil, Associate professor, from the Department of architecture, design and media technology of Aalborg University. The discussion was moderated by Magdalena Sikorowska, SESA project coordinator, from ICLEI Europe. 

Real-world innovations and measurable impact

“Ultimately, the long-term relevance, transformative impact, and economic sustainability of any energy technology depend on how effectively it is tailored to the specific needs of its users.” Boris Heinz, ENERGICA coordinator, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany.

Throughout the event, Living Labs sessions brought the discussions to life, showcasing real-world applications and the tangible impact of energy innovations from both ENERGICA and SESA projects: 

  • E-mobility in Kenya: WeTu’s work in Katito, Kisumu County, as presented by Charles Ogalo, demonstrated retrofitted electric drivetrains for motorbikes and an “Energy-as-a-Service” model with solar charging hubs. Roam Electric, introduced by Habib Lukaya, also presented their locally designed and manufactured electric motorcycles and solar-powered fast-charging hubs in Nairobi.
  • Mini and Nano-grids: Solutions from Ghana (presented by Samuel Asare, from Nastech Power Solutions) and Madagascar (introduced by Nicolas Saincy, fro Nanoe Energica), showcased decentralized energy systems, including the innovative use of recycled e-waste and second-life batteries, leading to increased access to clean energy for households and productive uses.
  • Water-Food-Energy Nexus: Projects in Tanzania, such as Simusolar, demonstrated solar irrigation systems using a lease-to-own model, while waste-to-energy solutions in Sierra Leone addressed both waste management and energy poverty through anaerobic biogas production. Coen Bakker, from The Waste Transformers (the Netherlands),  discussed waste-to-energy solutions, specifically anaerobic biogas for energy and fertilizer production, addressing waste management and energy poverty in peri-urban Sierra Leone.
  • Waste to Energy: Diverse approaches, from organic waste digesters to briquette production from cooking oil waste, showed positive impacts on sustainable technology access, clean water, renewable energy, and job creation.
  • Fresh Water: Solar-powered pumping systems and photocatalytic water treatment plants in Kenya have provided hundreds of thousands of liters of clean water, significantly improving health outcomes and reducing environmental impact compared to conventional systems.

Entrepreneurs shared valuable insights into viable business models, emphasizing the importance of local financing partners and a holistic approach to supporting companies from accelerators to market entry. Diverse business models like pay-as-you-go, “as-a-service,” lease-to-own, subscription, and franchise models were explored as crucial accelerators for clean energy solutions. 

Empowering for a sustainable future

A central theme of the event, particularly emphasized on Day 2 of the event, was the critical importance of enhancing capacity for a sustainable energy transition. This was powerfully underscored by the Watt Counts session, moderated by  Jorden van der Hoogt and Esther van Bergen (Cenex Nederland), and Nargish Parvin (RISE Research Institutes of Sweden), alongside speakers Edem Foli (Nelson Mandela University), Susanne Paulrud and Stanley Zira (RISE), Haiping Shen (Norwegian University of Science and Technology),  Ibtihal Ait Abdelmoula (Green Energy Park), Samira Nahim (Ciemat – Plataforma Solar de Almeria) and Philipp Baslik (Technische Universität Berlin). It showcased the real-world impact of energy innovations across various sectors, providing concrete data on the tangible benefits and demonstrating the power of well-supported initiatives.

Discussions throughout the event highlighted that tailored capacity building, based on specific needs, is crucial for empowering local governments, SMEs, women, and youth. SESA’s comprehensive capacity-building plan encompasses a variety of methodologies, including incubator programs, peer-to-peer exchanges, regional training, and online short courses. The ENERGICA project also adopted a “learning by doing” approach, integrating community energy systems and identifying daily energy needs to engage communities effectively. This panel was introduced by Claudia Schröder (ICLEI Africa), moderated by Silvia Assalini (ICLEI Europe), with speakers Lena Schmid (Hudara),  Jean Damascene Bikorimana (University of Rwanda),  Dr. Albert Kotawoke Awopone (AAMUSTED), and  Mikael Melitshenko (Smart Innovation Norway).

It was stressed that capacity building goes beyond mere knowledge transfer; it’s about empowerment and enterprise development. There’s a strong need for universities to integrate both technical knowledge and business skills to equip graduates for the market. A key lesson learned is the importance of ensuring that capacity-building sessions lead to practical application and that projects create sustainable jobs beyond their lifespan. Engaging local teams and demonstrating tangible results through “demo parts” are vital for the acceptance of new technologies, exemplified by women-focused clean cooking training sessions in Rwanda, which empowered women with skills in manufacturing, biomass pellet production, and entrepreneurship.

The event concluded with a strong emphasis on the continuous efforts of the European Commission to support renewable energy in Africa through initiatives like the Africa EU Green Energy Transition initiative and Mission 300, supported by the African Development Bank and the World Bank Group. The overarching message was clear: sustained collaboration, targeted financial support, and robust, localized capacity-building initiatives are paramount for accelerating Africa’s green energy transition and fostering a brighter, more sustainable future for its communities.

“In Africa, no policy or technology aimed at advancing the energy transition can succeed without the active involvement of local communities and the leadership of local authorities. Their voices, needs, and realities must be at the heart of every solution.” Magdalena Sikorowska, SESA project coordinator, ICLEI European Secretariat, Belgium.

Click on the titles to access all resources and relevant materials are available for download on our site:

More about our project partner

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.