Wednesday, 19 April 2023
A project that will enable schools within low-income suburban communities in Kenya to become accessible clean energy hubs has begun.
African SCENe (Sustainable Community Energy Networks) is a 12-month feasibility study that will identify schools within low-income suburban communities in Nairobi that could become clean energy hubs. These hubs will generate, store, and distribute clean, renewable energy for the communities in which they serve, accelerating access to adequate, affordable, and reliable light in the evenings and energy for cooking, while simultaneously enhancing awareness and education of those living in the area.
Funded by Innovate UK’s Energy Catalyst Round 9, the study is being delivered by a project team made up of experts from the University of Nottingham, SmartKlub, Edu-Cater Global and FWD.London, with the support of Nairobi-based Map Kibera.
Professor Lucelia Rodrigues, Chair in Sustainable and Resilient Cities at the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Engineering, said: “Every single member of the project team has an important part to play in the success of this study, with the University of Nottingham’s role being to develop the social, economic, policy and technical research needed to support the project."
This is a significant piece of research that we hope will provide multiple benefits for low-income communities.
Professor Rodrigues continued: "Not only will it provide practical solutions to enable better access to clean, safe and reliable energy, but will also provide wider socio-economic benefits, such as engaging children in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education using energy as the vehicle.”
Responsible for developing the business models that will take the energy hubs from concept to reality is project lead SmartKlub Ltd. Charles Bradshaw-Smith, CEO of SmartKlub Ltd, said: “This project allows SmartKlub to use the expertise it has gained in the UK to bring robust community benefits to sub-Saharan Africa. But, instead of addressing domestic climate change needs, here the opportunity is even more profound."
We can empower women to run safe after school cooking, as well as healthy eating and extended homework sessions to transform their lives too – all installed and supported by local supply chains.
The inclusion of schools within the project is a crucial component, as it ensures a central focal point for the community, which Edu-Cater Global plans to build on to help inform and enhance people’s knowledge and awareness of clean energy.
Frida Nzaba, CEO at Edu-Cater Global Limited, said: “We are looking forward to developing a programme where the community and school students will be able to further their knowledge around clean energy. As part of this project, we are planning a small pilot event in Kenya where we can gather information and baseline the community’s current knowledge around this topic, as this will provide us with data on how we can bridge the knowledge gap. Our long-term goal is to be able to implement this programme to be delivered at the local hubs.”
Ensuring the scalability and replicability of the project across sub-Saharan Africa has also been factored into the project, with FWD.London looking to utilise and grow existing supply chains as well as developing new ones from UK businesses.
Aaron Wilson, MD at FWD.London said: “This project will build on the work we have done via The Community Revolution project, in developing low carbon energy systems, that meet the diverse set of needs seen across the African continent. We look forward to engaging with technology suppliers, both within Africa and the UK, in developing replicable and scalable solutions fit for the African context.
We believe that access to clean energy will enable the people of these local communities to overcome the obstacles they face in life and prosper in a sustainable way. We look forward to working with project partners in realising both the project goals, and the wider UN sustainable development goals.
Story credits
All school photos © Map Kibera
More information is available from Dr Lorna Kiamba, in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham at l.kiamba@nottingham.ac.uk or; Danielle Hall, Media Relations Manager for the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham, at danielle.hall@nottingham.ac.uk
About the Faculty of Engineering
Made up of six departments – Architecture and Built Environment, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering and Foundation Engineering and Physical Sciences – the university’s Faculty of Engineering is home to more than 5,600 students and 800 staff.
The faculty, which has educated engineers and architects for more than 140 years, was the first in the country to be accredited with an Athena SWAN Gold Award for excellence in advancing gender equality across higher education and research and is home to multiple state-of-the-art facilities, including the recently opened £40m Power Electronics and Machines Centre (PEMC).
With research at its heart, 21 research groups are undertaking pioneering projects for a sustainable future across several themes – including net zero transport, sustainable energies and the built environment, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare technologies – and has delivered a positive impact in more than 20 countries. Within those countries, the faculty’s research has supported 500 companies and three governments – that have changed their strategies as a result of its research – and has also directly created jobs for around 3,000 people across the world.
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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