LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND: BOTTOM-UP ENERGY TRANSFORMATION OF LAST-MILE COMMUNITIES

SWARM-E is a trans- and multi-disciplinary approach for sustainable, affordable and modern energy access and well-being for Sub-Saharan Africa, aligned with the AU-EU Agenda 2063.

SWARM-E consists of several layers: 1) an innovative renewable electricity infrastructure, the SWARM grid, a circular and cyber-smart network where end-users exchange electricity of their solar home systems and form the nodes of a smart grid which can dynamically grow to meet demand; 2) unlocking unutilised renewable energy for productive uses in the water energy food nexus – cold storage, water purification, water pumping and irrigation, carpentry; 3) transfer and decentralisation of Global North energy transformation innovations – decentralised hydrogen production for cleaner cooking, bi-directional charging of light electric vehicles (two- and three-wheelers) to transport goods and people.

SWARM-E builds on network effects generated through the inclusion of localised economies with strong producer-consumer linkages embedded within larger systems of trade and exchange for the creation of bottom-up energy communities.

SWARM-E will operate and replicate 5 pilots in Rwanda and Tanzania, under which 5 SWARM grids are installed, delivering 6.9 GWh of renewable electricity while generating income through the trading of electricity and avoiding the discard of 3,200 batteries; 5 water purification applications deliver 101.M L of clean water; 15 light electric vehicles deliver farmers’ produce, power mobile productive uses and cold storage, increasing the yields of 1,000 farmers and reducing the food losses of more than 5,000; 700 kg of H2 are blended with LPG for cleaner cooking, and more than 500 jobs for women and youth are created.

The balanced participation of EU and AU private, public and civil society organisations in the consortium will ensure the knowledge transfer North-South and South-South, and the sustainability of value chains based on local value creation and entrepreneurship.