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buildmatt · 14 days

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Container Homes around the World: Diverse Uses and Styles

Container homes have become a global phenomenon, providing a versatile and affordable housing solution that transcends borders and cultures. While the basic concept of using shipping containers as building blocks remains consistent, the ways in which different regions adapt and innovate these structures vary greatly depending on local traditions, climates, and needs. In this article, we’ll explore the diverse uses and styles of container homes around the world and highlight how cultural differences influence their design and functionality.

Container Homes in North America

In North America, the container house movement is largely driven by a desire for sustainable and minimalist living. Cities like New York, Vancouver, and Austin have embraced the trend, with architects creating modern, urban homes that maximize space while minimizing environmental impact. Many of these homes feature sleek, open-concept designs with large windows that flood the interiors with natural light.

Rural areas in North America are also seeing an increase in container homes, particularly for eco-tourism and off-grid living. In these settings, container homes often function as remote cabins or vacation retreats, offering a low-cost, eco-friendly alternative to traditional construction. The aesthetic tends to be more rustic, with a focus on blending the homes into their natural surroundings.

Container Houses in Europe

Container houses have taken root in Europe, where countries like the Netherlands, Germany, and the U.K. are known for their forward-thinking, eco-conscious approaches to housing. In the Netherlands, container homes are often used in modular prefabricated developments, where multiple units can be stacked or arranged into community housing projects.

Germany has also embraced container homes, particularly in urban and suburban settings where space is at a premium. The focus here is on energy efficiency, with container homes incorporating solar panels, rainwater harvesting systems, and high levels of insulation to reduce energy consumption. In the U.K., recycled containers have become part of sustainable housing developments and even pop-up communities that cater to young professionals and students.

Container Homes in Latin America

Latin American countries like Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina have found creative ways to adapt container homes to their unique climates and cultures. In warm coastal regions, container homes often feature open designs that prioritize natural ventilation and outdoor living spaces. Bright, colorful exteriors are a common theme in Latin America, reflecting the vibrant local culture and blending with traditional architecture.

In rural and beach communities, container homes offer an affordable solution to housing shortages, with many families using containers as their primary residences. These homes are often built with locally sourced materials to enhance durability and comfort in the region’s warm climate.

Container Homes in Africa

Africa’s diverse landscapes and climates have given rise to unique container home designs that cater to local needs. In countries like South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana, container homes are being used for affordable housing, emergency shelters, and even commercial spaces. In South Africa, for example, container homes are often integrated with outdoor living areas to capitalize on the pleasant climate and provide natural cooling.

One of the main challenges for container houses in Africa is dealing with extreme heat. Architects have innovated by using natural cooling techniques, such as reflective roofing materials, shaded verandas, and strategic placement of windows for cross-ventilation. In Ghana, the colorful exteriors of container homes echo the rich visual traditions of local culture while addressing the need for affordable, functional housing.

Container Homes in Asia

In Asia’s densely populated cities like Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong, Container homes are emerging as a solution to space and affordability issues. These homes are often compact and designed with multi-functional spaces that make efficient use of every square foot. Minimalist interiors, common in Japanese culture, focus on simplicity and functionality, with hidden storage, folding furniture, and clean lines.

Luxury container homes are also making an appearance in Japan, where architects are combining sleek, modern design with traditional Japanese aesthetics. Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand and Indonesia, is seeing a rise in eco-friendly container homes in rural areas and coastal regions, often designed as vacation homes or small resorts.

Container Homes in Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand have fully embraced the container home movement, particularly in remote and coastal areas where traditional construction can be costly and logistically challenging. Container homes are popular for beach cabins, vacation homes, and rural retreats, often blending modern design with the natural environment.

In Australia, high-end container homes are becoming increasingly popular, with architects designing sleek, modern structures that offer all the comforts of a luxury home. In New Zealand, container homes often incorporate sustainable building practices, using solar power and rainwater collection systems to create off-grid living spaces.

Cultural Influences on Design and Functionality

Local cultures and climates significantly influence the design and functionality of container homes around the world. In hot, tropical climates, for example, homes are designed to maximize ventilation and shade, while in colder regions, insulation and heating systems become key design considerations. Colors, materials, and finishes often reflect local traditions, helping container homes blend into their surroundings and cultural context.

In Latin America and Africa, bright, vibrant colors are commonly used to reflect local artistic traditions, while in Europe and North America, modern, minimalist designs are more popular. In Asia, space-saving techniques and multifunctional design are emphasized due to the region’s high population density and small living spaces.

Sustainable Living and Off-Grid Innovations

Sustainability is a key theme in container home design, and this focus is seen across all regions. From solar panels and water recycling systems in Australia and New Zealand to passive heating and cooling techniques in Africa and Asia, architects are constantly finding new ways to create eco-friendly, self-sufficient homes. Off-grid container homes are particularly popular in rural and remote areas, where traditional utilities may not be readily available.

Community and Social Housing Projects

Around the world, container homes are being used in innovative ways to address housing shortages and provide affordable living solutions. In Europe, social housing projects often utilize containers as a way to quickly and affordably create new homes for underserved populations. In Latin America, container homes are helping to alleviate housing shortages in urban areas, while in Africa, they are used as emergency shelters for displaced communities.

Container Homes as Commercial Spaces

In addition to residential uses, container homes are also being repurposed for commercial applications in cities around the world. From pop-up cafes and restaurants in North America and Europe to small shops and offices in Asia and Africa, shipping containers are being used to create flexible, cost-effective spaces for businesses.

Architectural Innovation in Container Homes

Architects around the world are pushing the boundaries of container home design, creating structures that are as innovative as they are functional. In Japan, for example, container homes are being built with sleek, minimalist designs that incorporate traditional Japanese elements, while in the Netherlands, architects are creating entire container villages as part of eco-friendly housing developments.

Adapting to Local Regulations and Challenges

Building container homes in different countries comes with its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to navigating local building codes and zoning laws. In many countries, container homes must meet the same standards as traditional homes, which can require additional modifications to ensure structural integrity, insulation, and safety. However, successful projects around the world have proven that these challenges can be overcome with careful planning and design.

Future Trends in Global Container Home Design

As the container home movement continues to grow, we can expect to see even more innovation and diversity in design. Architects will likely continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with container homes, incorporating new technologies and materials to create homes that are sustainable, affordable, and culturally relevant. As more people seek out alternative housing solutions, container homes are poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of global housing.

Conclusion

Container homes are far more than just a trend—they represent a global movement toward sustainable, affordable, and innovative living. From the compact urban homes of Asia to the vibrant, colorful structures of Latin America, container homes are as diverse as the cultures that inspire them. As architects continue to adapt container homes to local climates, traditions, and needs, this unique housing solution will only continue to evolve, offering exciting possibilities for the future of housing around the world.

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gongwei491350778 · 2 years

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10kw off grid solar system in Mozambique

Mr Sergio is a business man from Mozambique who has ordered 10kw off grid solar system from Tanfon.

He contacts us from company website for the 10kw solar kit used in his house,

He said that he want to use this 10kw off grid solar system to power his normal loads in home

Such as 3pcs 1HP air conditioner, TV, Refrigerator, washing machines.

Lights and other small loads.

“Whether 10kw off grid solar system is enough to power？”

“Yes, very enough, for house usage, most usage power system is 1kw 3kw 5kw 10kw off grid solar system

If there is air conditioner about 3pcs，we suggest use 10000 watts off grid solar system at least, because air conditioner is inductive loads, when start working，the surge power is almost 3times for working power ”

“ok i see. I Very trust your products quality, because you have done so many airport, government cafe, army projects, so you guys must make sure quality even in house usage

I saw you have installed so many projects in africa also Mozambique, which give me more confidence to use your products！Also, excellent for you guys can provide one stop service.

I dont need to think about how many battery and panels i need, and how to design it, or find different things from different suppliers！I am very happy! Thanks”

Finally, Mr Sergio asked me to make PI directly then he can pay without any hesitation,

After all,Tanfon have more than 12years experience in solar area，and our mission is let the world get rid of expensive electricity bill.

TANFON 10KW off grid solar system related cases:

off grid solar power system design

Ghana 10kw off grid solar system home use

Commonwealth of Dominica 10kw off grid solar system project

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adalidda · 3 years

Photo

Illustration Photo: Brubaker Farms, is both a diary and green energy producer in Mount Joy, PA, USA. The family farm owned by Luke, Mike and Tony Brubaker has approximately 850 cows and 700 young stock, producing 20,200,000 pounds of milk. Their methane digester can handle more than 41,859 metric tons of organic waste, to capture methane gas that fuels a low emission generator producing 225 kW. This powers the digester itself and farm operations. Excess power is sold to the local power grid, allowing the community to benefit from a green energy source. (credits: USDA Photo by Lance Cheung / Public domain)

PFAN funding for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Projects

For Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe,Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago,Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama,Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam,Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan,Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu , Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna

The Private Financing Advisory Network (PFAN) is a global network of climate and clean energy financing experts, which offers free business coaching and investment facilitation to entrepreneurs developing climate and clean energy projects in emerging markets.

Sectors & Technologies

PFAN works with projects in a variety of sectors and technologies working towards climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Agriculture & Agribusiness

Biodiversity & Eco-system Services

Clean Cooking

Clean Technology

Climate Change Adaptation

Climate Resilience Infrastructure

Cooling

Energy Efficiency & Demand Reduction

Energy Storage & Conservation

Renewable Energy

Rural Electrification & Energy Access

Tourism

Urban Resilience

Waste Treatment

Water & Sanitation

Examples of eligible projects

Projects and businesses which deploy clean and renewable energy and/or climate change technologies for productive uses; Greenfield and brownfield utility projects, independent power producer and distributed generation projects (for both thermal and electrical energy); Existing projects which are operating at small or pilot scale and which are ready for scale-up; Projects which increase access to energy for remote communities, including rural electrification, off-grid and mini-grid projects, thermal energy and clean cooking solutions; New or expanding business ventures in clean energy and related technologies, including downstream projects (focused on deployment of existing technologies) and upstream projects (focused on development and commercialisation of a new clean technology); Mergers, acquisitions or joint ventures, which will add value to an existing clean energy / technology business.

Investment amount

The investment amount, or investment ask, should lie between US$1 million and US$50 million. This may be disbursed in smaller tranches as requested.

ONLY for energy access and rural electrification projects (clean cook stoves, solar home systems, mini grids) an exception is made, and the investment ask can lie between US$500,000 and US$50 million. This too may be disbursed in smaller tranches as requested.

Preparing your Project Proposal

The main document for your project application is the Project Proposal: a concise and credible plan that is straightforward and easily understood by evaluators and reviewers. It should provide enough detail to give evaluators a clear idea of your project’s rationale, structure and management, investment ask, returns and risks as well as climate benefits and any developmental, social and gender impacts.

Please click here to read the Guidelines for your Project Proposal https://pfan.bendorodigital.com/preparing-your-project-proposal/

PFAN is active in low- and middle-income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Central America and the Caribbean Islands.

Application Deadline: October 31, 2021

Check more https://adalidda.com/posts/cLDZJFAZdhvREprLb/pfan-funding-for-climate-change-mitigation-and-adaptation

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mfidie · 4 years

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YINSON Ghana Offers An Off-grid Solar System To Preatsir/Awunakrom Government School

YINSON Ghana Offers An Off-grid Solar System To Preatsir/Awunakrom Government School.

Students of the Preatsir-Awunakrom Municipal Assembly school can now conveniently study ICT and other subjects with the provision of an off-grid rooftop solar system provided by Yinson Ghana. The school has been without a power supply for 37 years and has subsequently affected the study of ICT, science, and vocational training among others. Teachers and students have had to endure heat and sit…

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abangtech · 4 years

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Could developing renewable energy micro-grids make Energicity Africa’s utility of the future?

When Nicole Poindexter left the energy efficiency focused startup, Opower a few months after the company’s public offering, she wasn’t sure what would come next.

At the time, in 2014, the renewable energy movement in the US still faced considerable opposition. But what Poindexter did see was an opportunity to bring the benefits of renewable energy to Africa.

“What does it take to have 100 percent renewables on the grid in the US at the time was not a solvable problem,” Poindexter said. “I looked to Africa and I’d heard that there weren’t many grid assets [so] maybe I could try this idea out there. As I was doing market research, I learned what life was like without electricity and I was like.. that’s not acceptable and I can do something about it.”

Poindexter linked up with Joe Philip, a former executive at SunEdison who was a development engineer at the company and together they formed Energicity to develop renewable energy microgrids for off-grid communities in Africa.

“He’d always thought that the right way to deploy solar was an off-grid solution,” said Poindexter of her co-founder.

At Energicity, Philip and Poindexter are finding and identifying communities, developing the projects for installation and operating the microgrids. So far, the company’s projects have resulted from winning development bids initiated by governments, but with a recently closed $3.25 million in seed financing, the company can expand beyond government projects, Poindexter said.

“The concessions in Benin and Sierra Leone are concessions that we won,” she said. “But we can also grow organically by driving a truck up and asking communities ‘Do you want light?’ and invariably they say yes.”

To effectively operate the micro-grids that the company is building required an end-to-end refashioning of all aspects of the system. While the company uses off-the-shelf solar panels, Poindexter said that Energicity had built its own smart meters and a software stack to support monitoring and management.

So far, the company has installed 800 kilowatts of power and expects to hit 1.5 megawatts by the end of the year, according to Poindexter.

Those micro-grids serving rural communities operate through subsidiaries in Ghana, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, and currently serve thirty-six communities and 23,000 people, the company said. The company is targeting developments that could reach 1 million people in the next five years, a fraction of what the continent needs to truly electrify the lives of the population.

Through two subsidiaries, Black Star Energy, in Ghana, and Power Leone, in Sierra Leone, Energicity has a 20-year concession in Sierra Leone to serve 100,000 people and has the largest private minigrid footprint in Ghana, the company said.

Most of the financing that Energicity has relied on to develop its projects and grow its business has come from government grants, but just as Poindexter expects to do more direct sales, there are other financial models that could get the initial developments off the ground.

Carbon offsets, for instance, could provide an attractive mechanism for developing projects and could be a meaningful gateway to low-cost sources of project finance. “We are using project financing and project debt and a lot of the projects are funded by aid agencies like the UK and the UN,” Poindexter said.

The company charges its customers a service fee and a fixed price per kilowatt hour for the energy that amounts to less than $2 per month for a customers that are using its service for home electrification and cell phone charging, Poindexter said.

While several other solar installers like M-kopa and easy solar are pitching electrification to African consumers, Poindexter argues that her company’s micro-grid model is less expensive than those competitors.

“Ecosystem Integrity Fund is proud to invest in a transformational company like Energicity Corp,” said James Everett, managing partner, Ecosystem Integrity Fund, which backed the company’s. most recent round. “The opportunity to expand clean energy access across West Africa helps to drive economic growth, sustainability, health, and human development. With Energicity’s early leadership and innovation, we are looking forward to partnering and helping to grow this great company.”

Source

The post Could developing renewable energy micro-grids make Energicity Africa’s utility of the future? appeared first on abangtech.

from abangtech https://abangtech.com/could-developing-renewable-energy-micro-grids-make-energicity-africas-utility-of-the-future/

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un-enfant-immature · 4 years

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Could developing renewable energy micro-grids make Energicity Africa’s utility of the future?

When Nicole Poindexter left the energy efficiency focused startup, Opower a few months after the company’s public offering, she wasn’t sure what would come next.

At the time, in 2014, the renewable energy movement in the US still faced considerable opposition. But what Poindexter did see was an opportunity to bring the benefits of renewable energy to Africa.

“He’d always thought that the right way to deploy solar was an off-grid solution,” said Poindexter of her co-founder.

So far, the company has installed 800 kilowatts of power and expects to hit 1.5 megawatts by the end of the year, according to Poindexter.

#TechCrunch

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alumnities · 7 years

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Africa Alumni TIES – Addis Ababa Small Grants Competition

Congratulations to the winners of the Africa Alumni TIES – Addis Ababa Small Grants Competition! Thank you to everyone who submitted a proposal. Please find below the winning proposals, team members, and project descriptions:

CONGRATULATIONS TO: Organizing a Business Idea Competition on Low Cost Energy Solutions Team Members: Tawetu Abreha Zerue, Mizan Welderufael Massa Country: Ethiopia Organizing a Business Idea Competition on Low Cost Energy Solutions aims to encourage recent graduates in electrical power engineering and mechanical engineering of Mekelle University to become engaged in energy business entrepreneurship, enabling them to be catalysts for further entrepreneurial developments in Ethiopia. Participants will be offered mentoring and training workshops on business model development. The project team will organize a competition in the country to create awareness and raise interest in energy business entrepreneurship. This initiative will be co-organized with community stakeholders, including the Ethiopian Institute of Technology-Mekelle’s (EIT-M) Entrepreneurship Office, the Ethiopian Entrepreneurship Development Center, the Energy Institute at Mekelle University, and the Tigray Energy Agency Office. CONGRATULATIONS TO: Formation and Training of Smart and Green Energy Clubs in Ghana’s Technical Universities for the Promotion of Renewable Energy, and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Team Members: Prosper Ahmed Amuquandoh, Michael Kwabena Mireku, Akosua Afriyie Osei-Appaw, Hannah Kabir Country: Ghana This project aims to create awareness about renewable energy, energy efficiency, best practices in conservation, and improved cooking technologies in the three northern regions of Ghana. To reach a larger audience, at a relatively low cost, it will adopt the “training of trainers” approach, starting with the training of 150 students in three technical universities located in each of the three northern regions of Ghana. The students will be trained on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and conservation. They will also be empowered with the leadership, entrepreneurial, and communication skills to effectively promote and implement renewable energy and energy efficiency practices. This will help increase access to clean energy for businesses, institutions, and households in the three northern regions of Ghana. To help sustain the project, the students will expand the projects to educational, religious, corporate, and community-based organizations. CONGRATULATIONS TO: Driving Top of the Mind Awareness and Advocacy Campaigns in Energy Access for All Team Members: Admore Chiumia, Hastings Mkandawire Country: Malawi The overall goal of the project is to conduct awareness and advocacy campaigns to increase access to energy and build a nation-wide constituency of advocates for green and inclusive energy. Malawian households are currently facing energy poverty. The implementers will leverage the skills attained at Africa Alumni TIES so that a wider community in Malawi will encourage youth to promote clean energy access for every Malawian. The project will involve energy fares in six selected institutions, presentations from students, games, poems, traditional dances, songs, quizzes, and a study tour to three mini grids in three regions of Malawi. The project hopes to reach 1500 youth from technical schools and universities in three regions of Malawi. CONGRATULATIONS TO: Malawi Off-Grid Energy Markets Outreach Project Team Members: Hastings Mkandawire, Morongwe Malebye Country: Malawi The project’s goal is to develop a 100 megawatt off-grid business via 10 potential marketplaces targeting 3,500,000 prospective customers (comprising cooperatives, farmers clubs, schools, clinics, village loan groups, businesspeople, and other individuals) in the rural areas of Malawi. Through the creation of a rural energy business association, this project will create marketplaces for different products and services such as pico hydro turbines, solar water heaters, solar electricity, wind turbines, and smart meters produced and marketed by companies such as Turbines Development Enterprise, Ditilopele Development, LEE Enterprise, Practical Action, dVentus, Mawerera Enterprises, Yankho Solar Company, and many others. This project will engage the rural people to identify their energy gaps and take a leading role in selecting the off-grid systems that best suit their needs. As the rural people begin to employ these systems, the process will create jobs for technicians and grow potential business for off-grid manufacturers and suppliers from Malawi and the greater continent. CONGRATULATIONS TO: Nigerian Energy Ambassadors Team Members: Azizat Olusola Gbadegesin, Oluremi Hamid, Olakunle Owoeye, Prosper Ahmed Amuquandoh Country: Nigeria This project seeks to build a network of young energy ambassadors and entrepreneurs by creating awareness and sharing basic knowledge on energy efficiency, energy conservation, and renewable energy. This project will also provide training and skill acquisition in the design, installation, and operation of small solar PV systems. These activities will help to catalyze local energy innovation, encourage interest in renewable energy, enhance institutional involvement and development, increase energy access to unserved and underserved areas, improve energy efficiency, and reduce reliance on conventional fossil fuels. It is expected that at the end of the modules, the energy ambassadors have gained sufficient knowledge to continue the activities of the energy club for subsequent sessions with the assistance of their facilitators. CONGRATULATIONS TO: Solar Micro Businesses - Promoting Productive Use of Energy in Nigeria Team Members: Owoeye Olakunle, Tshegofatso Neeuwfan, Fadekunayo Adeniyi Country: Nigeria This project aims to promote the productive use of energy among the micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) community through the design and construction of 1000 innovative solar powered systems by 2020, customer education on PUE opportunities, and business development service delivery for start-ups and established businesses. The project activities will also facilitate access to efficient and high-quality end-use equipment via a sensitization workshop and awareness raising project, media propagation, and improved access to long-term micro credits. The Alumni TIES small grant will fund phase three of the project: a sensitization workshop on the productive use of energy in rural and urban parts of Lagos State in Nigeria. CONGRATULATIONS TO: The Engaged Youth in Energy Conservation Project Team Members: Lydie Umubyeyi, Mutabazi Rita Clemence Country: Rwanda This project will address the issue of energy inefficiency in schools, focusing on five Rwandan technical schools. In addition, the project will tackle the issue of “using less energy for the same services/work” through energy conservation programs, such as developing tools on how to use energy more efficiently. Students will learn how to conduct energy audits and teams from the schools will compete with one another to determine which school succeeded in being the most energy efficient. By engaging these schools, the students will take the lead in finding solutions appropriate to their energy challenges. CONGRATULATIONS TO: Energy Day and Related Events for Awareness of Solar Energy Team Members: Morongwe Malebye, Azizat Olusola Gbadegesin Country: South Africa Rural communities in South Africa often lack access to sources of sustainable energy and the associated job opportunities, such as in the rural village of GaMphahlele, Lentin. The long-term plan of this project is to install solar energy (capacity of a minimum of 500 kilowatts) by 2019 in the rural village of Lentin and surrounding areas through collaboration with strategic stakeholders. The objective is to replicate this model in neighboring villages, which fall under the monarchy of Mphahlele, and throughout the Limpopo province. The project will provide a platform and act as a catalyst for stakeholder collaboration in addressing challenges faced by the school and the community. The small grant will fund activities in nutraceutical farming, agro-processing, wood manufacturing, mining, and waste recycling will be leveraged in promoting renewable energy job opportunities to community members. This three-month project is comprised of three-day events, including site visits to local companies, and will culminate in an “Energy Day” event in Lentin, where a stakeholder charter will be established. CONGRATULATIONS TO: STEM for Energy Team Members: Kakoma Mutenda, Kabwe Musonda Country: Zambia The main objective of STEM for Energy is to work with and connect two communities in Zambia in solving their energy-related problems. The team has identified three technical high schools in Zambia where they will pilot this initiative. Select participants will be those with an expressed passion for and interest in JETS (junior engineers, technicians, and scientists) fairs. The project will bring seasoned engineers and scientists to high schools to teach and demonstrate how basic high school level science principles can be used to solve energy access challenges, improve efficiency, and create sustainability. The project will provide schools with training materials, instructing 50 students at each technical school. The project will demonstrate how science can be used to solve local energy challenges, motivate students to pursue careers in STEM, and help them solve local community energy challenges.

#grantrecipients #alumnities #alumnitiessmallgrants

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abujaihs-blog · 5 years

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Nigeria to receive US $21m boost for solar power projects

Nigeria is set to receive US $21m from the United Kingdom and Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) to support the deployment of solar generated electricity small businesses in the country. The funds will provide a mix of interest free loans and repayable grants and technical assistance to private sector operators in the solar business. It will be deployed through AECF’s Renewable Energy and Adaptation to Climate Technology (REACT) Household Solar Round Two Competition. “Renewable sources of energy provide just 18% of Africa’s current power generating capacity, therefore developing off grid alternatives could create many more opportunities and transform millions of lives,” said the Chief Executive Officer of AECF, Daniel Ohonde. AECF funds The funding window was also part of AECF’s Africa Clean Energy Programme (ACE) which seeks to increase the supply of household solar systems to rural markets at affordable costs, facilitated through innovative financing; operating and distribution models such as the PAYGO and micro-financed solar power interventions. Solar power operators in Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal and Somalia are other countries set to benefit from AECF funds. The countries will be allowed to access the funds as long as they meet the requirements spelt out by AECF. Up to 25 solar-based businesses or operators from these countries would be able to access the fund on a matching grant basis.

“The additional funding will enable AECF to continue investing in private sector companies to deliver business models which accelerate access to trans formative solar home systems to rural markets in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Mr. Daniel. The REACT programme has so far contributed to the generation of 29.7MW of clean electricity in countries it has supported, while reducing their carbon emission by over one million tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCo2e) cumulatively. Source: By Fidelis John Read the full article

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jubailibrosolar · 10 months

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Solar Equipment Distributor- Jubaili Bros

Jubaili Bros is not just a solar equipment distributor; we're your partner in the transition to clean and sustainable energy. We understand the critical role solar power plays in achieving a sustainable future and are committed to supporting your journey. Contact Jubaili Bros to explore our range of solar equipment and services. Trust in the quality, reliability, and expertise that our brand represents, and take the first step towards a more sustainable future with solar energy.

#Solar equipment distributor #TrinaSolar panels Supplier #solar pv products distributor #Solar Energy Equipment Suppliers #Solar Energy Equipment Suppliers sudan #off grid solar system provider Ghana

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rolandfontana · 5 years

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How Your Company Can Benefit From China’s Belt and Road Initiative Part 2A: Africa

This is the second of a series of posts regarding the effect of China’s Belt and Road Initiative on the global economy. (To read the initial post, click here.) The goal of this and future connected blog posts is to help U.S. and international companies understand what China is doing in target international markets so as to be able to benefit from Chinese-funded or Chinese-built infrastructure as a springboard to their own growth. This and other posts will focus on general enabling environments, including legal frameworks for doing business in these countries. This post is presented in a Q&A format with David Baxter, my longtime friend and PPP (Public Private Partnerships) expert, who is based in Washington, D.C.

You have spent a large portion of your life in Africa, which has historically been exploited by colonial powers. How do today’s Africans view themselves, their countries, and their continent with respect to the rest of the world? In other words, what is Africa’s current “social consciousness”?

When I was in Uganda recently, I heard pragmatism among Africans, about their past, current, and potential future problems. But I routinely hear enthusiasm among Africans who are becoming more educated and skilled. They believe that they can make this century “Africa’s century.” To me it seems like the more they have been poorly treated, the more determined they have become to build Africa with African objectives for a strong African future. Africans want relevant, sustainable growth for Africa. Mostly when I talk about Africa, I am referring to sub-Saharan Africa, not Arab North Africa which forms part of the MENA (Middle East, North Africa) Region. The enthusiasm that I am referring to is regional in nature: West Africa (e.g. Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria); East Africa (e.g. Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya); and Southern Africa (e.g. South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe). Each region has different opinions and approaches to its development path. East Africans are probably the most enthusiastic and pragmatic about development strategies because they have less resources than their counterparts in other regions. They believe they must do a lot with little. West Africans, particularly Nigerians, know their country is such a juggernaut, so they feel that they can accomplish almost anything. However, they know they face corruption related to oil revenues: weak governance and bad investment decisions. They stoically recognize their missteps, and they’re trying to fix them. I am from South Africa, where some South Africans are unfortunately stuck in a post-Apartheid political paradigm that has stalled forward progress. Fortunately, most of the younger post-Apartheid generation are focused on looking forward, not backwards and are embracing economic innovations that will help lift Southern Africans out of their current challenges. Africa has some dysfunctional countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, which are prone to misadventures when it comes to development. Because they are desperate for investment in development projects, they are more prone to exploitative “good deal” that is not in their national interest. In many cases, the leadership of these countries have mortgaged their future for ill-conceived projects that have poor long-term prospects. However, Southern Africans, Western Africans, and Eastern Africans are becoming more discerning about how they engage with investors. They better understand the types of projects they need, and what should be the long-term objectives of realistic strategies (usually tied to sustainable development goals). Landlocked countries are particularly tied to the fates of their coastal neighbors, and this is driving regional integration efforts. This can be both advantageous and disadvantageous for those landlocked countries, depending on their neighbor’s willingness to develop common development objectives.

What do you see as Africa’s greatest opportunities, either for African companies or foreign companies looking to do business with Africa?

Africa is beginning to shine in leapfrogging technology: cellular networks, renewable/sustainable energy, and telecommunications have all flourished because countries did not have to invest in outdated infrastructure for these new technologies. Renewable energy (i.e. photo-voltaic power generation) does not require big power grids, for example. They can utilize small, off-grid systems. Solar and hydro are being developed throughout Africa, and geothermal specifically in East Africa. I see a lot of PPP/infrastructure projects emerging in those sectors. South Africa and Rwanda are becoming service-focused economies with call centers and technology centers. They have the expertise, which helps their neighbors, as well. There has always been a political focus on pan-African projects to connect and integrate Africa: trans-Africa highway projects (the Cape to Cairo road has been a dream for hundreds of years; also, east-to-west access routes for trade). These transnational connections that will integrate economies and allow them to share resources is becoming a greater focus of governments. Air transportation is still a challenge in Africa. In some regions people must fly via Europe to reach their neighbors. The biggest growth is in developing railway networks and transnational highways. Big rivers like the Congo River and Niger River are being revisited as routes to trade goods and access raw materials. Ironically, these rivers, which were first used in the colonial era, saw their ferry and river transport infrastructure fall into disuse. Now Africans are beginning to realize that river transportation can be an infrastructure backbone for countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo if their supporting infrastructure is revitalized through investment.

How is Africa reacting to China’s increasing presence through its Belt and Road Initiative?

It is a mixed bag. East Africa has two big projects that have been teetering on failure. In a transnational railway project that was supposed to connect Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda, things stalled after their governments said the project was too expensive. When they said that they could not afford the debt burden, Chinese investors pulled out, citing project risk. The project is half finished, and now it is called the “railway to nowhere.” The new Addis Abba, Ethiopia to Djibouti railway to the Red Sea was completed. It was built and financed by the Chinese, but the Ethiopian government now faces excessive debt because it paid more for the debt that these projects incurred than they should have. Africans are beginning to realize that these types of procurements are not transparent or competitive. Many governments are now questioning how these types of projects bind these countries to foreign economic interests, not domestic development interests. Generally, Africans are a little more apprehensive about enthusiastically agreeing to proposed terms from unsolicited infrastructure deals. However, irrespective of this, China is increasingly making inroads Africa. China is beginning to recognize it needs to offer better deals, especially in countries with more vibrant African democracies. Where governance has changed hands through the ballot boxes rather than coup d’états, these new governments are stronger. But countries that lean more toward authoritarian leaders, like the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo, grabs onto a Belt and Road project as a short-term way to show their country’s citizens economic growth without explaining the long-term future implications. These short-term vies are resulting in the “sale” of national resources to the Chinese investors with dire consequences if they default on their loans. This “debt trap” is a big discussion in Africa. There are also concerns that Chinese businesses will squash local businesses where Africans are not as well skilled, trained, educated, or experienced in the craft of competitively doing business. In some African countries, goods that are cheap, made in China, and sold by Chinese businessmen are suffocating local businessmen. Consequently, U.S. and other foreign countries with strong social corporate responsibility practices will find Africa an inviting market. It is an enormous market that will grow exponentially in the next 20-30 years. The demographic momentum is there. Even with zero marketing, companies will find that there is already a great demand for durable goods.

In our future posts we will look at additional world regions and zoom in on promising markets with strong enabling environments and rule of law, providing businesses with a base level of certainty to move forward in developing relationships in those countries.

How Your Company Can Benefit From China’s Belt and Road Initiative Part 2A: Africa syndicated from https://immigrationattorneyto.wordpress.com/

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trendingnewz-blog · 5 years

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Growing Inclination Towards Renewable Energy Sources to Proliferate Global Solar Street Lighting Market 2025

Solar street light (SSL) are extensively being used for outdoor street lighting as their primary source of energy is solar power. With no dependence on conventional sources of energy, these lighting mediums operated on stand-alone mode, eliminating the need for a general grid of any power requirements. The standalone solar photovoltaic street lighting system comprises of a re-chargeable lead acid battery for storage, PV (photovoltaic) modules for charging the battery, light source (compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), and light emitting diodes (LED), suitable electronics for the operation of the tamp, and safe charging and discharging of the battery and mechanical hardware for fixing these sub systems.

The key advantage of these lighting systems is that they available either with automatic dusk to dawn operation or with a pre-set timer. Tubular batteries provided with the solar street lighting systems require exceptionally low maintenance and are known to have a long life. In light of these advantages, the global solar street lighting market is likely to be worth US$22.30 bn by the end of 2025 from US$3.47 bn in 2016. During the forecast period of 2017 and 2025, the global solar street lighting market is expected to progress at a CAGR of 23.4%.

Read Report Overview @

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/solar-street-lighting-market-2017-2025.html

Demand for Greener Solutions Puts Commercial Segment at Forefront

The applications of solar street lighting solutions are seen in areas such as residential, commercial, and industrial. Of these, the commercial segment is projected to lead the global market due to rising initiatives by governments and civic authorities to using solar lighting. Currently, solar street lighting solutions are being used on streets, roadways, and various other commercial establishments. Analysts expect that the commercial segment of the global solar lighting market is likely to acquire a share of 68.2% by the end of 2025. The growing demand for solar lighting in areas such as parking lots, pathways, subways, perimeter security lighting, and public area lighting have also augmented the growth of this segment. The rising awareness amongst global citizens about the burden of using traditional lighting sources has significantly made them transition to greener solutions.

Asia Pacific Emerges as Key Region in Global Solar Street Lighting Market

Asia Pacific was the largest market for solar street lighting globally, accounting for 44.3% share in 2016. India was the leader in terms of revenue, closely followed by China, in 2016. On the other hand, the Middle East and Africa was the second-largest market for solar street lighting in the same year. Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, and Nigeria spearhead the solar street lighting market in Africa with need for clean and reliable source of off-grid electricity. Europe stood third with Germany and the U.K leading the demand as the region makes a serious shift towards greener solutions.

Request Report Brochure @

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=23906

Some of the key players operating in the global solar street lighting are VerySol GmbH, Philips Lighting Holding B.V., Bridgelux, Inc., Omega Solar, Dragons Breath Solar, Solektra International, SOKOYO Solar Group, Sunna Design, Solar Street Lights USA, Urja Global Ltd., and Sol, Inc.

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africapedia-blog · 6 years

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600 Million Africans Don't Have Access To Electricity - Yet Most Of Them Live A Stone Throw From A Power Line!

AT least 110 million of the 600 million people still living without access to electricity in Africa live in urban areas. Most are within a stone throw from existing power grid infrastructure.

In Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana and Liberia alone there are up to 95 million people living in urban areas. All in close proximity to the grid. In Kenya about 70% of off-grid homes are located within 1.2km of a power line. And estimates for “under-the-grid” populations across sub-Saharan Africa range from 61% to 78%.

Besides energy access being crucial for many basic human needs, these underserved populations represent a massive commercial opportunity for cash-strapped sub-Saharan African utilities. Electricity providers could reach tens of millions of densely packed customers without the cost of a last-mile rural grid extension.

Millions of people without electricity access in Africa live close to existing power grid infrastructure. (Photo/Shutterstock).

So, why aren’t these potential consumers connected to the formal grid?

Urban communities often face many challenges in obtaining electricity access. These range from the prohibitively high cost of a connection, to the challenges of informal housing, the impact of power theft on services and socio-political marginalisation. In many cases, these obstacles are difficult to address successfully.

However, recent advances in distributed renewable energy technologies mean a more affordable, faster to deploy, cleaner alternative is at hand in Africa. One that can step in where policy and utility reforms are wanting.

BARRIERS TO GRID CONNECTIONS

One of the major barriers to electrification is the cost of a grid connection. A grid connection in Kenya, for instance, is estimated at USD $ 400 per household. This is nearly one-third of the average per capita income of a Kenyan.

Beyond pure cost barriers, urban communities often can’t access energy services for other socio-economic reasons. For instance, not being metered because they don’t have a formal address. Or living in in an area that is difficult to service – such as near flood plains or in informal housing settlements.

Corruption among electricity service providers, power theft by customers and the establishment of electricity cartels also complicates and limits electricity access.

Finally, the utilities themselves face many challenges in implementing reforms to get more people connected. Take the example of the Kenya Power and Lighting Company, which owns and operates most of the electricity transmission and distribution system. In 2015 it introduced a subsidised connection fee of US $150. This was done through the Last Mile Connectivity Project. In one year, this installment-based payment plan led to a 30-fold increase in legal electricity connections in impoverished neighbourhoods.

But the project was marred by cost overruns and inflated and misreported new connection numbers. On top of this, newly connected households often have very low consumption levels and low-income customers were often unable to make payments, even at subsidised rates.

Without the necessary infrastructural development, experts argue that the programe puts a strain on the technical, commercial and financial resources of the utility. This means that the programme may find it difficult to generate revenue, recover costs or provide the service intended to new customers.

DECENTRALISED RENEWABLES

Decentralised renewable energy technologies offer an important solution for “under-the-grid” electrification. They are simple, fast and agile. They have short installation times, and offer a reliable electricity service for informal settlements.

Pay-as-you-go solar systems and appliances, for example, can provide a much lower barrier to entry. Compared to the high upfront connection costs noted earlier in Kenya, a 15-watt solar home system costs on average USD $9 per month for 36 months after which point the household owns its system.

The renewable energy sector recognises this under-the-grid market. In fact, about 35% of solar lighting product sales in Kenya are made in peri-urban areas. And it’s a good bet. Evidence shows that the willingness to pay for decentralised renewables is much higher than a grid connection because they are seen as more reliable.

Policies to support decentralised technologies include: integrated energy planning that incorporates these solutions, adopting and enforcing product quality control standards and providing financial incentives – like reduced import duties for products or local loan and grant programs.

These solutions show that with the right approach, and simple innovations, Africa’s prospective urban customers can finally get access to electricity.

Ben Attia, a Research Consultant with Greentech Media, contributed to the writing of this article.

♦Rebekah Shirley, Research Director at Power for All and Visiting Research Scholar, Strathmore University, Nairobi.

-This article was originally published on The Conversation.

600 Million Africans Don’t Have Access To Electricity – Yet Most Of Them Live A Stone Throw From A Power Line! was originally published on Africapedia

#Electricity Access #Energy in Africa #Kenya #off grid #Renewables #solar process

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andrewbertolucci · 7 years

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Living Under the Grid: 110 Million of Africa’s Unconnected Customers Represent a Massive Opportunity

Almost half of the people living in sub-Saharan Africa have access to electricity. Urban electricity access rates are even higher, estimated at 76 percent in 2014. But these figures are dangerously deceptive.

A recent World Bank study on infrastructure in Africa finds that take-up rates for populations living under the grid are high in only a few countries -- South Africa, Nigeria, Gabon and Cameroon -- while being below 50 percent in nearly every other country in the region.

A disproportionately large share of the unelectrified African population actually lives “under the grid” -- directly beneath existing grid infrastructure.

Estimates for "under-the-grid" populations differ by source. They range from 61 percent to as high as 78 percent.

At least 110 million of Africa’s 600 million people without electricity access live in urban areas, in close proximity to the grid. In this region -- the only place in the world where the aggregate proportion of the population with access to electricity is actually declining -- population growth will only cause the number of urban energy poor to grow over time.

Very little research has been done to understand the differentiated energy demands or consumption behaviors of peri-urban customers. Yet these households represent a massive commercial opportunity for cash-strapped sub-Saharan African utilities: tens of millions of densely packed customers without the high cost of last-mile rural grid extension. So what keeps these communities unconnected, and why?

Despite the lack of information, it is clear that one of the major barriers is the prohibitive cost of grid connection. The cost of a connection in Kenya, for instance, is estimated at USD $400 per household, nearly one-third of annual average per capita income and over four times the mean willingness to pay of surveyed Kenyans.

In Nigeria, 62 percent of under-the-grid grid households cite high connection costs as a reason they are not connected to the grid. The Center for Global Development estimates that there may be up to 95 million people living in under-the-grid areas in Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and Liberia alone.

Beyond pure cost barriers, urban communities often experience persistent and pervasive energy isolation barriers due to economic and political remoteness (as opposed to geographic remoteness) and are neglected by large-scale public investment schemes.

Establishing a utility-customer relationship and billing channels can be difficult for people without a formal address or the ability to be metered. Likewise, residences close to other infrastructure (such as roads or railways), or in flood plains can create problems for all manner of service delivery. The state is usually unwilling, or legally unable, to provide infrastructure or services under such conditions.

Organizational barriers, corruption, power theft, ineffective bill collection methods, complicated interconnection, and service delivery complications also limit peri-urban energy access.

So how do utilities establish relationships with these elusive prospective customers? Turns out, an innovative private Indian utility figured this out years ago.

TPDDL: An Indian utility’s successes with onboarding the urban poor

In 2009, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) focused on connecting an exclusive segment of its customer base living in impoverished neighborhoods.

By reducing new connection charges to a nominal 350 INR (about USD $7 at the time) offering an affordable 24-month payment plan, waiving outstanding dues, reducing proof of identification, relaxing commercial formalities on land rights, and promoting insurance offerings for those with metered connections, TPDDL made legitimate and reliable electricity connections affordable.

The utility also surveyed this "Special Consumer Group" to understand their needs and uses for electricity, and launched initiatives to help customers pay their electricity bills, such as providing supplementary services to communicate the value of a legal electricity connection. This included low-cost healthcare clinics with electronic equipment, vocational opportunities that required productive electric loads like sewing and milling, and hiring local women to serve as bill collection agents.

TPDDL now employs nearly 1,000 women in 39 impoverished neighborhoods to reduce theft. Collectively, they have brought 56,000 additional delinquent accounts to paying status.

Between 2010 and 2015, TPDDL’s unique model connected 175,000 new ratepaying customers in 217 impoverished neighborhoods near New Delhi. In the process, the utility doubled its customer base and increased its revenues fourfold.

Many of these lessons have been replicated in Jamaica, Brazil, South Africa, the Philippines and Kenya (where an estimated 70 percent of off-grid homes are located within 1.2 kilometers of a power line).

Kenya Power & Lighting Co. (KPLC) conducted a survey showing that customer willingness to pay for an electricity connection was 57 percent lower than the cost of service, but actual monthly expenditures were higher than the reported willingness to pay.

KPLC has taken lessons from TPDDL’s success, instituting a subsidized connection fee of USD $12 through the Last Mile Connectivity Project and an installment-based payment plan that led to a 30-fold increase in legal electricity connections in impoverished neighborhoods in one year.

Simple changes like making payments more convenient and affordable through e-billing, investing in local infrastructure beyond poles and wires, and a touch of creative customer engagement in marketing and bill collection are easy and effective mechanisms for improving uptake and customer retention.

In the case of TPDDL, changes like these reduced aggregate losses by 53 percent. Paired with a doubling of the customer base and a demand reduction to affordable levels of consumption for legal customers, the private utility was actually able to reduce the total electricity supplied to the impoverished neighborhoods in the program.

Decentralized renewables help bridge the gap

These solutions apply in Africa as well. In fact, yet another World Bank study published this year finds that for half of sub-Saharan African countries, the additional subsidies needed to make electricity affordable to every urban household are less than $5 million, and less than $1 million in 38 percent of them.

While almost two-thirds of SSA countries have low lifeline rates for customers using 100 kilowatt-hours or less per month, informal households are usually unable to take advantage of these reduced rates because multiple households often connect to the same meter, resulting in high total consumption at the meter. In fact, data shows that these households often end up paying disproportionately more for electricity. More effective targeting of this subsidy could drastically improve uptake.

Beyond reallocating energy subsidies toward connection fees and tariffs, increased support for decentralized renewable energy technologies is a major solution for under-the-grid electrification, especially in countries with less innovative utilities. Pay-as-you-go solar systems can provide a much lower barrier to entry to basic electricity services and back up illegal or unreliable grid connections.

For instance, compared to those high upfront connection costs noted earlier in Kenya, a 15-watt solar home system costs on average USD $9 per month for 36 months. The distributed renewable energy sector recognizes this market. In fact, about 35 percent of solar lighting product sales in Kenya are made in these peri-urban areas.

A number of off-grid solar companies, including d.light, have begun to specifically target peri-urban customers. Further, evidence has shown that the willingness to pay for decentralized renewables is proportionally much higher than grid connection, especially as reliability is an important user criteria.

Decentralized technologies are simple, fast and agile. They have short installation times and few permanent infrastructural features, thus offering a ready solution to those households on legally unserviceable land or in temporary housing situations.

Policies to support increased penetration of decentralized technologies include: increasing investment into the low- and medium-voltage distribution grid, simplifying grid interconnection procedures, and financial incentives like reduced duties for product import.

While much effort has been paid to bringing households into the physical grid, energy access is not binary -- rather, it is a gradient with “gray areas” of under-the-grid households willing to pay for reliable power.

With the right approach and simple innovations, sub-Saharan African utilities can capture elusive revenues and reliable payments from the 110 million prospective customers living under the grid.

***

This is the second installment in a joint series between GTM Research and Power for All exploring the dynamics of energy access issues in emerging markets. Power for All is a global coalition of 200 private and public organizations campaigning to deliver universal energy access before 2030 through the power of decentralized, renewable electricity.

As a pillar of Wood Mackenzie’s redefined focus on studying global trends in the transformation of power, GTM Research is studying the energy transformation occurring beyond the grid edge in the off-grid rural energy access space.

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kimberlydenis · 7 years