Electricity demand across the continent is expected to double between 2012 and 2035. Several African countries have significant fossil fuel resources in the form of coal and gas that could be used for power generation. However, Africa’s vulnerability to the impacts of climate change suggests that new electricity generation capacity should preferentially be from low carbon sources. This project aims to tackle the challenge of universal access to clean modern energy in sub-Saharan Africa, using two readily available energy sources: sunshine and biomass.
This project is novel because it seeks to overcome the major renewable energy constraint of storage of solar power through solar treatment of biomass and using the stored treated biomass as a fuel for electricity generation. The project is designed primarily for capacity building, containing a major element of training through PhD student development and research exchange. It also seeks to enhance gender‐balance in renewable energy capacity.
Objectives: Using biomass as the primary energy source
Storing solar energy by using concentrated solar power to treat biomass
Converting solar treated biomass into a fuel that can be used directly in modified electricity generators
Developing a scalable hybrid renewable electric energy system for rural electrification in order to integrate the mix of renewable energies
Integrating different sources of electricity in hybrid renewable energy systems

Equipment to build the Micro-grid Lab has been approved by The Royal Society. Apart from the Micro-grid lab installation, we have ordered purchases of the wind-solar hybrid system. We are waiting for the equipment to be shipped from China to Tanzania, and once they are in Dar es Salaam, we will conduct the training on: “Design and installation of Wind-Solar Hybrid system- installation of a working hybrid system. The system will be used as a pilot system to demonstrate the potentials of the hybrid system to small scale business (SMEs), who can scale up the production."

https://cera.leeds.ac.uk

• Uganda
• United Republic of Tanzania

1) Facilitation of sustainable multidisciplinary partnerships between research groups in sub-Saharan Africa and the UK.
2) Strengthening research and training capacity in sub-Saharan African Institutions of Higher Education through the skill transfer between partner organizations of the research consortia.
3) Provision of support to a cohort of young, talented researchers through integrated Ph.D. scholarships and shared supervision of post-graduate students between the UK-based and African consortia members.
4) Evaluation of the contributions of the Africa Initiative for supporting universities and institutions in Africa to develop sustainable research and research training capacity. Where females/girls are concerned, the program had encouraged female applicants to apply, as a result, this project has two female co-Principal investigators: Ms Mary Susan Abbo from Makerere University, Uganda, and Dr. Consalva Msigwa from Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology, Tanzania.

The project as a concert of efforts of partners shows the importance of international and regional cooperation to achieve sustainable development. It contributes to capacity building, empowering female participation in research and commits to building infrastructure much needed for obtaining energy from the natural and renewable resources.