Village Energy

Repairing solar power, reinstating consumer confidence in renewables
2015 SEED Africa Award; European Union
Clean Energy
Kampala
Uganda

Village Energy recruits local mobile telephone repairers as franchisees and provides solar technician training at the community level. In contrast to other sales-only solar companies in the region, the enterprise enters the market by first repairing broken devices.

Its ability to work across brands and technologies, the development of multiple revenue streams such as phone charging and lamp rentals, and the commitment to repair much faster than other solar traders enable the enterprise to cost-effectively work directly at the village level.

The proliferation of solar energy is spanning almost 100 villages so far, resulting in an estimated decrease of carbon emissions and indoor air pollution by 25%.

Eco-Inclusive Impacts
Village Energy supports rural solar technicians and the uptake of renewable energies. Directly stimulating the economy and generating income for local youth, the enterprise is also striving toward a high participation rate of 40% women trainees in the long run.
  • Reducing rural unemployment among young men, and delaying marriage and motherhood among young women by offering employment opportunities in their communities.
  • Spreading the benefits of solar energy such as additional lighting hours, lower energy costs, reduced health hazards and risk of accidents.
  • Reinstating community trust in solar technologies and proliferating the use of renewable energy to almost 100 villages.
  • Reducing carbon emissions and indoor air pollution from kerosene lighting by 25% and kerosene-caused accidents by 50%.

  • Establishing a new occupation to serve a burgeoning rural industry, averaging a monthly income of USD150 per technician.
  • Saving USD70 – 80 per year for a family that adopts solar in kerosene fuel costs (25% of annual income.)

 

Partners

Village Energy is the first company in East Africa to build a branded franchise solar technician network to repair, service and sell solar systems. The enterprise provides young men and women with training, setup support, inventory and marketing. It is building up a regional servicing and distribution network that will increase rural solar energy access and adoption while promoting technical entrepreneurship.

Village Energy is a for-profit enterprise that runs the franchise network, trades solar products and provides training and business support for the village-level entrepreneurs

Centre for Research in Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC) will provide training, testing and certification and will work on solar technicians' regulatory standards.

Strathmore Energy Research Centre (SERC) has set up a training institute in Nairobi and developed the training curriculum, while continuing to provide advice and support.