- Home
- Aid by Department
- Department of Science, Innovation and Technology
Department of Science, Innovation and Technology
DARA Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy Phase 3
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
This proposal is to continue, deepen and expand the Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) project. DARA is a human capital development programme with the principal aim to develop high tech skills in radio astronomy in the eight developing African countries that partner with South Africa in the hosting of the mid-frequency telescope of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). The first two phases utilized the Newton Fund and delivered a basic training to over 300 young people as well as Masters and PhD level training. This proposal is once again a bilateral UK-SA project bidding for Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding as part of the Tomorrow's Talent strand of the new International Science Partnership Fund (ISPF). In this new phase we will extend the HCD pipeline to establish postdoctoral fellows in African partner institutions for the first time. The aim is to complete the establishment of radio astronomy research groups in each partner country so that their citizens can fully engage with the SKA project. We will also continue the basic and Masters level training programme. This third phase will also encompass elements of the DARA Big Data sister project to deepen the training in machine learning techniques required to analyse SKA data and embed synergies with Earth Observation data. We will also continue and expand our partnership with the space sector to showcase how the skills of radio astronomy can be utilized to address development challenges in Africa. The industrial partners also bring entrepreneurship and business start-up experience. Overall, the DARA project addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in terms of increasing high tech skills, research activity and international cooperation.
CERN Non-Member State Doctoral Student Programme
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The CERN and Society foundation run PhD student placements for researchers from non-member states, funded through partner contributions. Through this programme STFC will provide funding to cover costs for students from Sub Saharan African countries that are on the DAC list to participate in CERN’s Non-Member State Doctoral Student Programme for the first time. Enabling up to 5 high-calibre students in particle physics, applied physics, information technology/computing and engineering from CERN non-member states to obtain world-class exposure, supervision and training in scientific and technological activities at CERN.
African School of Fundamental Physics and Applications Graduate Summer School Programme
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The African School of Fundamental Physics (ASP) runs an annual programme supporting graduate and postgraduate physicists from ISPF priority African countries (Kenya, South Africa plus LDCs). High calibre students are selected to attend a two-week 'summer school' in Morocco in July 2024 which aims to increase applied physics skills, increase the diversity of the physics research base, and increase engagement with university facilities. One-year’s funding enables 10-15 students from ISPF Priority Countries to attend in 2024. A 3-year sponsorship would support two schools and one conference, covering travel and subsistence for students/researchers, who would otherwise be unable to attend. STFC is working directly with ASP to support this programme which will benefit the African physics research community enabling mobility and networking.
Characterization of high-energy neutron beams at iThemba LABS for use in irradiation of electronics
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The project aims to characterize high-energy quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams at iThemba LABS for applications in irradiation testing of electronics. High-energy neutron facilities are crucial for testing the effects of atmospheric radiation, induced by cosmic rays, on electronics. The increasing need of reliable electronics is today coming from many growing sectors, like vehicle electrification, automation, and internet infrastructure. The project will evaluate neutron fluxes, spectra, and beam uniformity at energies from 50 to 200 MeV. A variety of neutron techniques, that have been developed and used at the ISIS neutron source of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, will be deployed to perform a complete characterization and a cross-calibration with the ChipIR beamline. Silicon and diamond detectors will be used for their well-known neutron energy response combined with fast signals that allow for time of flight measurements. Activation foils will measure neutron flux and energy distribution with direct reference to nuclear cross sections. SRAM-based detectors will monitor Single Event Upsets to measure neutron flux and beam profiles, aiding cross-calibration with existing facilities like ChipIR at ISIS. This comprehensive approach ensures robust testing and confidence for using these beams for microelectronics testing application. The research teams at ISIS and iThemba LABS have a proven track-record in neutron measurements and instrumentation development as well as operation of fast neutron user facilities. Each team is led by an internationally recognised expert. The total project budget of £ 211k consists of STFC staff time, equipment, calibration at a third reference facility and travel&subsistence. The equipment cost includes silicon and diamond detectors, activation foils, electronics and SRAM based monitors. South Africa is the country that will directly benefit from this Official Development Assistance (ODA) project. A desired outcome of this project is to expand the international user base of the quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams at iThemba LABS for applications in irradiation testing of electronics. On top of being an international centre of excellence, the particle accelerators operated by iThemba LABS can make a huge contribution towards improving the quality of the lives of South African citizens. As an example of direct societal and regional benefit, iThemba LABS uses accelerated proton beams to facilitate the production of radiopharmaceuticals. These radioisotopes are used amongst others for PET imaging of neuroendocrine tumours, prostate cancer and positron annihilation studies. iThemba LABS in general contributes towards developing a cohort of future researchers in nuclear measurements, instrumentation, and related applications.
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Delivery costs of International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) ODA activities
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Operational costs occurred at Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) associated with hosting and/or managing ODA International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) programmes
Royal Society - ODA Delivery Costs -International Science Partnerships Fund
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Delivery costs for ODA International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) programmes at the Royal Society.
Royal Society: Core and Resilient Futures - UK ODA Fellowships
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Fellowships for non-UK scientists who are at an early stage of their research career and wish to conduct research in the UK. (From the Resilient Futures Collective Fund).
Tsiino Hiiwiida: Unveiling multiple dimensions of plant and fungal biodiversity of the Upper Rio Negro
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The project “Tsiino Hiiwiida: Unveiling multiple dimensions of the plant and fungal biodiversity in the Upper Rio Negro” addresses a critical gap in knowledge of the plant and fungal diversity in one of the least explored regions of the Amazon Basin, the Cabeça de Cachorro (or Tsiino Hiiwiida in the indigenous language of the Baniwa people) of Brazil. In the face of increasing anthropogenic change in the area due to mining and deforestation, conservation efforts are impeded by lack of knowledge of key components that maintain ecosystem integrity. In a region that has been significantly less explored than the rest of Brazil, Cabeça de Cachorro is a critical gap for effective conservation and sustainable development. Among the outcomes of the project that will directly benefit Brazil are 1) creation of a network of scientists, students, parataxonomists and indigenous people with common purpose to understand and document diversity, 2) discovery and description of hitherto undocumented plant and fungal diversity in a global hotspot, 3) new insights into the evolution of Amazonian biodiversity that will directly aid conservation, 4) locally relevant tools for future monitoring of local diversity by local people and 5) improvement of higher level and academic training for people based in the Amazonian region. The project Tsiino Hiiwiida will specifically address the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 4 (quality education), 10 (reduce inequalities), 13 (climate action), and 15 (life on land). Involvement of local communities in both the research and the production of research products will engender lifelong learning and contribute to the levelling up of the Amazon within Brazilian society (4, 10). Building better knowledge of plant and fungal diversity contributes directly to Goals 13 and 15. The complete taxonomically verified catalogue of plant and fungal diversity of the focal area, coupled with capacity building and co-designed tools for further documentation of plant and fungal diversity will empower Brazilian scientists and local peoples. Novel methods for exploration, monitoring and describing the diversity of this rich area will create a collaborative traditional and western scientific knowledge system to truly understand and protect the biodiversity of this culturally rich region of the Brazilian Amazon.
(UKRI-Brazil) Participatory monitoring of traditional territories: digital platform for co-production of data on sociobiodiversity in Amazonian areas
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
This proposal seeks to develop a mobile, digital platform that records and catalogs socio-biodiversity through the co-creation of local, traditional and indigenous knowledge(s). Carried out in 9 communities within 3 states in the Legal Amazon: Pará, Amazonas and Maranhão, researchers will cooperate with traditional Amazonian communities with aim of developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system to develop an inventory of traditional knoweldges with the biodiversity of traditional territories. The co-creation strategy associated with the digital platform will enable these traditional knowledges associated with biodiversity to be better integrated with more normative Scientific ecological (i.e. socio-biodiversity) data. The main objective of the proposed project is for this digital tool to record and scientifically validate traditional practices and knowledge of biodiversity and relate them to globally available scientific databases, whilst enabling communities to maintain epistemic control over their knowledges and consequently territories. The records made by traditional peoples and communities will be collated with information from the collections of the Brazilian Biodiversity Information System (SiBBR) – an online platform that integrates data and information about biodiversity and ecosystems from different sources, making them accessible for different uses (SIBBR, 2024). The co-creation strategy will also allow the platform to be regularly updated by traditional communities, and thus to become a tool for monitoring biodiversity in their territories. The platform will also consist of a tool-kit that can be used resolve conflicts between these communities (and similarly positioned social groups) and market-based actors that enter traditional territories to extract, profit and otherwise exploit from their rich biodiversity. The recognition and validation of such traditional knowledge associated with biodiversity in these Amazonian territories is crucial for the development of institutional strategies that enable the continuity of conservation practices of traditional peoples and communities, thus ensuring compliance with the provisions of Article 8 of the Biodiversity Convention – specifically that pertaining to legal disputes between market-agents and traditional Amazonian peoples and communities. KEY WORDS Amazônia; traditional populations; traditional knowledge; biodiversity; monitoring platforms
Amazonian BioTechQuilombo - Amazonian Biodiversity, Technology Assessment and Knowledge Exchange with Quilombos
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Our research project stands at the forefront of integrating traditional Quilombola knowledge with cutting-edge scientific methodologies to address critical biodiversity challenges in Brazil's Amazon region. This collaborative effort aims to not only meet but exceed the Official Development Assistance (ODA) requirements of the funding opportunity, embodying a holistic approach that recognizes and values the diverse ways of knowing. Our aim is to diagnose and analyse biodiversity data gaps by integrating traditional Quilombola community knowledge and technologies in various conservation areas of the Amazon. These communities, rooted in their specific relationships to land, territory, ancestry, traditions, and cultural practices, provide invaluable insights into the preservation of natural ecosystems and their resilience to environmental challenges such as deforestation, land use expansion, and climate change. Brazil is the primary beneficiary of our research activities, given the critical importance of the Amazon region in global biodiversity and environmental sustainability. The encroachment of deforestation into various Quilombolas territories serves as compelling evidence of the urgent need to integrate their traditional knowledge with state-of-the-art technologies to address biodiversity loss and promote sustainable practices. Our project combines traditional Quilombola knowledge with advanced technologies such as environmental DNA (eDNA), remote sensing, and artificial intelligence (AI) to comprehensively record biota and characterise landscapes. By engaging Quilombola communities as active partners in the research process, we ensure the effectiveness and cultural relevance of our conservation efforts. Our methodology leverages the convergence of these advanced technologies to map and understand biodiversity across numerous taxa, including mammals, aquatic fauna, birds, and trees. This integration of diverse methodologies not only ensures an internationally excellent standard of research but also fosters collaborations and knowledge exchange among diverse communities. We have identified clear pathways to impact that prioritise community participatory-based biodiversity assessment within Quilombola territories and adjacent areas. By co-developing and validating automated frameworks for biodiversity assessment and monitoring with Quilombola communities, we empower them to actively participate in research and conservation efforts, thereby promoting a participatory and inclusive approach to sustainable development. The expected impact of this biodiversity monitoring framework will be to inform conservation policies and sustainable management. In summary, our project embodies a transformative vision that celebrates the convergence of different epistemologies, leading to new insights and solutions to the environmental challenges facing Brazil and the global community. Through collaborative partnerships and innovative methodologies, we aim to combine scientific methods with traditional knowledge to strengthen the role of traditional Quilombola communities in biodiversity conservation and make an important contribution to the preservation of Brazil's invaluable natural heritage.
Voices of Indigenous Amazonia: historical processes of sociobiodiversity in the face of the challenges of the Anthropocene
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The Voices of Indigenous Amazonia project proposes to study Amazonian biodiversity and its long-term interactions with Indigenous peoples in three regions characterized by complex sociocultural systems: the Upper Negro Indigenous Territory (Amazonas state); the Xingu Indigenous Territory (Matto Grosso state); and the Kayapó Indigenous Territory (Pará state). These territories stand out for their varied and complex ethnic, historical, and socio-environmental configurations, which include ethnobiological knowledge that is specific to each region. In this project we propose to combine human and biological sciences with Indigenous knowledge to increase our efficiency in producing knowledge about Amazonia. We propose to document biodiversity and its relationship with knowledge and sociocultural practices of present and past Indigenous peoples through: 1) biological inventories of species little known to Western science; 2) characterizing Indigenous landscapes through participatory mapping and remote sensing; 3) fostering exchanges of biodiversity-related knowledge between scientific and Indigenous knowledge; 4) recording long-term anthropogenic changes in vegetation, fauna, and soils ; and 5) collaboratively producing relevant ethnographic, linguistic, and sociocultural documentation. Supported by multifaceted biological studies (descriptions of new species, taxonomic revisions, morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses, distribution modelling and species richness) integrated with studies of traditional Indigenous knowledge, including its role in the domestication of plants and landscapes, as well as studies of millennia-old environmental management technologies within different Indigenous territories, the project will enable large-scale analyses of biological and sociocultural diversity while mitigating existing taxonomic gaps in poorly sampled yet well-preserved regions of Brazilian Legal Amazonia. At a broader level, the project will produce relevant contributions to tackle the current climate emergency and socio-environmental challenges of the Anthropocene, which compromises forests, resources, and the continuity of the lifeways of our partners, Indigenous peoples of Amazonia.
Brazil-UKRI: The recovery of the adaptive capacity of Pre-Columbian tree crops to environmental changes
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Multiple large-scale forest restoration strategies are emerging globally to counteract ecosystems degradation and biodiversity loss. However, these strategies often remain insufficient to offset the loss caused by anthropogenic development. At least two reasons could explain this incomplete performance: i) we ignore how human disturbance affects species genetic variability and their potential to evolve and adapt to the ongoing global changes; ii) there is a major gap in the knowledge about long-term (>100 years) ecosystem dynamics after human disturbance ends. In this project, we propose to investigate the adaptative potential of the Brazil nut and other Amazonian tree crops associated with Brazil nut areas, after anthropic disturbance cessation. We will sample plant leaf and cambium tissue and roots on Pre-Columbian archaeological sites, today known as Terras Pretas Amazônicas (TPA), where the descendants of ancient Brazilian nut trees still grow today. With selected TPA sites sequentially abandoned that have never been reoccupied, we will build a 2,000-year chronosequence. This chronosequence will allow us understand how the Brazilian nut trees and associated Amazonian tree crops recover their adaptive potential after they are released from domestication after Pre-Columbian peoples sequentially abandoned their lands to finally collapse around the XV century with the Spanish invasion. Our team that includes experts in forest restoration, domestication, and genomics will explore changes in the whole genome of the Brazilian nut tree and associated tree crops, as well as its associated soil microbiome, along the chronosequence. The results will help find genomes with increased genetic variability and thus adaptive potential, by identifying specific functions related to an enhanced adaptive potential. Propagules from individuals with these functions can then be used in tropical forest restoration, and agriculture, increasing the resilience and resistance of forests to ongoing global changes.
Co-Designing Clean Energy for Rural Africa with Service Innovations and Digital Twins (CREDiT)
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
CREDiT project aims to demonstrate the potential of solar energy in rural, off-grid African communities through Participatory Technology Development (PTD) and Service-Oriented Business Models, supported by Digital Twin (DT) platforms. The project focuses on three communities facing significant challenges: Mayungu Beach in Kilifi, Kenya; an agricultural village near Kasinthula, Malawi; and an agricultural college community in Chipembi, Zambia. By implementing off-grid solar mini-grids in these areas, the project seeks to generate interdisciplinary knowledge, provide community training, and deliver lasting benefits both locally and more broadly. Led by the University of York (UoY), CREDiT collaborates with Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) in Kenya, Coastal and Marine Resource Development (COMRED) in Kenya, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) in Malawi, and United Church of Zambia University (UCZ). The project is motivated by the 2023 SDG7 progress report, which highlights the persistent challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa’s access to electricity. Despite abundant solar resources, over 567 million individuals in the region still lack access to electricity as of 2021. Existing solar installations often fail to meet community needs due to a lack of context-specific design, economic viability and are often undersized for expected demand, and the necessary human capital for effective operation and maintenance. The challenge of delivering sustainable and appropriate solar energy solutions is both social and technical. It requires the development of technical and business models that are attuned to social conditions. Addressing this challenge necessitates transdisciplinary collaboration between scientists, engineers, social scientists, business and industry partners, local communities, and policy stakeholders. Rural communities in Africa, often the poorest users, are typically priced out of investment opportunities and face significant challenges such as upfront risks, lack of installation and maintenance expertise, and issues with sustainable affordability. Limited community participation in the design and maintenance of solar projects often results in poor social, financial, and environmental outcomes, leading to projects being abandoned shortly after completion. To address these issues, CREDiT focuses on deploying a template for sustainable business models supported by digitally enabled technologies. This approach aims to guide the development and scaling of distributed solar, maximizing technological performance (energy usage and efficiency, predictive maintenance, reduced waste), social impact (clean energy adoption, equitable benefits, appropriate functionality), and organizational effectiveness (ownership, financing, scalable solutions). The project will develop a replicable process supported by digital technology platforms and business models. These platforms will ensure community-level access to energy, delivering affordable, reliable, long-term sustainable, and equitable energy access in rural off-grid communities. Trials will take place in diverse use-cases across Zambia, Malawi, and Kenya. The digital platform will ensure that all stakeholders, including local government agencies and private investors (national/international), have full visibility of energy production, providing the transparency needed to attract off-grid solar investments. Our approach establishes an interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary framework using equitable socio-technical co-design, addressing power dynamics, marginalization, and context-specific knowledge creation by integrating three key perspectives: (1) a digital platform featuring predictive models, IoT sensors, remote monitoring, AI, and cloud-based technologies to support load forecasting, optimal usage, and maintenance; (2) co-produced sustainable business models focused on affordability and equitability; and (3) community resilience and empowerment through skills training, knowledge, and resources, particularly for women, to optimize solar energy use and manage its lifecycle, ensuring future energy expansion.
Mainstreaming Gender Equality and Social Inclusion for a Just Energy Transition in Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania (JustGESI)
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The Global Commission on People-Centred Clean Energy Transitions recommends incorporating Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in any efforts to advance the energy transition.[1] The Independent Expert Group on Just Transition and Development in Africa advocates for a transition based on social justice and feminist values.[2] The UN Gender and Energy Compact (under the auspices of the SDG7) identifies five outcomes for women to lead, participate in and benefit from a just, sustainable, and inclusive energy transition: increasing women’s access and control over energy resources; incorporating GESI in transition pathways, strategies and regulations; supporting women-owned and led businesses; facilitating women's career advancement in the energy transition; and enhancing the knowledge base to understand processes of exclusion.[3] However, empirical evidence shows a persistent gender and inclusion gap in the energy transition. This gap manifests in the lack of participation of women and gender non-conforming people in the sustainable energy labour force. There is limited knowledge of how gender relations and intersecting forms of social discrimination (such as racism or ableism) reproduce energy injustices in the energy transition. During the last decades, many energy projects have incorporated GESI concerns, for example, collecting gender-disaggregated data or holding single-sex learning sessions. However, such approaches fail to challenge the root causes of discrimination and social inequality. Many projects focus on differences between men and women without questioning the homogeneous, universal categories used to characterise diverse groups and complex experiences of power relations and exclusion. Over-simplifying the relationships between gender relations, discrimination, and access to energy resources leads to decontextualised, inappropriate actions (such as when cookstove improvement programmes make inaccurate assumptions about cooking practices and fuel choices). Such generalisations portray women as passive victims or virtuous stewards in ways that increase their responsibility for delivering collective action without the corresponding rewards (such as when biogas-cooking programmes seek to ‘empower’ women but inadvertently result in additional domestic labour). A GESI-transformative approach to the energy transition requires challenging these types of decisions and practices, which tend to reproduce energy injustices, whatever their intentions. JustGESI will deliver substantive action to advance GESI objectives within the energy transition in Africa, focusing on: How to advance GESI objectives within concrete projects and policy interventions. Identifying and promoting institutional and policy reforms that facilitate GESI objectives. Identifying and delivering forms of capacity building that advance transformative strategies to GESI. This interdisciplinary, international partnership will deliver practical, policy and capacity-building responses through a collaborative programme of work across four countries, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania, where our well-established research network has obtained evidence of inclusivity gaps in the energy transition and are already initiating pilot actions to tackle these. The project will address the Ayrton challenge of ‘smart delivery,’ delivering ‘inclusive energy & leave no one behind’ interventions by putting questions of equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of the transition to sustainable energy. Simultaneously, the project will address the challenges of ‘super-efficient demand’ and ‘modern cooking services’ by focusing on the delivery of sustainable fuels for cooking. At COP28, world leaders committed to clean cooking for all Africans. However, despite pioneering examples of gender-responsive electric cooking programmes, there is not yet a credible international GESI strategy for clean cooking. [1] https://www.iea.org/programmes/people-centred-clean-energy-transitions [2] https://justtransitionafrica.org/ [3] https://genderenergycompact.org/
SMART-SIP+ - Innovative approaches to downstream energy utilisation from solar irrigation pumps in Bangladesh
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The Aim of this project is to drive forward a large-scale clean energy transition in rural communities in Bangladesh through the design, development and demonstration of smart energy systems which exploit the excess electricity from Solar Irrigation Pumps (SIPs). Context: People/Place: Bangladesh is ranked 7th in the Climate Risk Index 60% of the population (c.100M people) rely on agriculture as their main income source. Intensification of irrigation practices: Allows an additional rice crop (55% of total) to be grown during the dry season (Jan-May). 6M irrigation pumps are used including 1.2M tube-wells powered by diesel engines consuming 1MT/yr imported diesel, emitting 3MT of CO2 (c.4% of Bangladesh’s annual gross emission) Replacement of diesel pumps with SIPs provides a critical route to reliable distributed clean energy. The Asian Development Bank (ADB), supported by key state organisations, propose a roadmap to deliver 45,000 SIPs replacing 200,000 diesel pumps by 2031. SIPs are sized to provide sufficient water during peak irrigation demand (100-150 days per year), so only 40 to 60% of the potential electricity generation of the panels is required for irrigation. The ADB report estimates that the 45,000 replacement SIPs will produce 480GWH/yr of surplus electricity. The current recommended method for utilisation of excess electricity is export to grid, but this often requires expensive grid extension, connection and metering. Post-harvest storage/ processing of crops: Fruit and vegetable production is c.17MT/yr, but post-harvest losses range from 25-40%, whilst farmers obtain a poor price due to surplus supply during peak seasons. Both can be alleviated by the availability of cold storage facilities; however, these are limited in Bangladesh owing to high capex/ energy costs. Additional processing of cereals, fruit and vegetables can add value and reduce losses (milling, drying, juicing), but require energy. These factors present a clear opportunity to leverage the excess electricity from SIPs and utilise it locally and smartly to support agriculture and rural communities. The challenge is that techno-economically validated pathways to seize this opportunity are currently not available to potential users (farmers), operators, investors and policymakers. To meet this challenge our project has the following objectives: Capture demand and supply requirements around SIP locations and their local communities into a structured knowledge base. Address key questions surrounding the design, sizing, and smart operation of farm-based microgrids powered by SIP systems. Tailor system solutions to unique local conditions. Provide socio-technical, techno-economic and Life Cycle Assessments of proposed solutions. Build Decision Support Systems and physical field testing and demonstration sites to enable investors/ decision makers to explore the nature and scale of the opportunity and drive strategic innovation, investment, and policy. Build capacity, capability, and resilience within rural communities by co-creating and co-delivering solutions that ensure equitable access to energy and economic development opportunities. Ayrton Challenges – Super Efficient Demand/ Smart Delivery/ Smart Energy Systems/ Sustainable Cooling/ Inclusive Energy Applications/ Benefits: Results/lessons from this work will also inform solarisation of the >10M diesel irrigation pumps that are currently operated in other Southern Asian countries. Bangladesh is categorised as a ‘Least Developed Country’. By improving access to local reliable and affordable clean energy this project will promote socio-economic development by enhancing business performance and stimulating growth; and reduce poverty and inequality of farming communities (particularly for women), increasing income and employment opportunities and building capacity and capability.
REACH-PSM: Resilient Renewable Energy Access Through Community-Driven Holistic Development in Perovskite Solar Module Manufacturing
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Context Energy inequality continues to hamper socio-economic growth in many African nations, where millions lack reliable access to electricity. Traditional energy sources are expensive, environmentally damaging, and dependent on external supplies, which limits their sustainability and accessibility. The REACH-PSM project (Resilient Renewable Energy Access Through Community-Driven Holistic Development in Perovskite Solar Module Manufacturing) aims to revolutionise energy access by enabling the local development and manufacturing of sustainable perovskite solar modules (PSMs) in Nigeria, Rwanda, Kenya, and South Africa. The Challenge With >500 million people in Africa without electricity, there is an urgent need for scalable, affordable, and environmentally sustainable energy solutions. Current renewable technologies, while beneficial, often fail to address local contexts and can result in significant environmental waste, particularly from end-of-life photovoltaic systems. The challenge lies in developing a localised manufacturing process for next-generation solar technology that is both cost-effective and sustainable, with simultaneous development of efficient end-of-life treatment to mitigate waste, allowing for widespread adoption across Africa. Aims and Objectives The REACH-PSM project seeks to accelerate the development and commercialisation of PSMs by focusing on the following objectives: Delivering commercially competitive low-cost manufacturing of PSMs in partner locations in Africa with a performance of >15% PCE and a lifetime of >10 years. Developing novel components of PSMs, and identification of domestic green supply-chains to enable regional manufacture and improve sustainability. Delivering PSMs designed for the circular economy with optimised end-of-life processing, minimising waste and maximising the circular flow of materials delivering enhanced commercial viability, sustainability, and resource security. Creating novel sustainable business models and community co-designed products that are suitable and appropriate for use. Potential Benefits The REACH-PSM project will accelerate the transforming energy access agenda in Africa by pioneering the development of locally manufacturable PSM, demonstrating the first next generation solar module manufacturing in Africa. This localised production will not only empower communities by fostering energy independence and creating jobs but also set a new standard for sustainable energy solutions. By utilising sustainable materials and processes, the project will also address the environmental challenges associated with traditional solar technologies, offering a more resilient and adaptable energy solution. Ayrton Challenge Areas The project addresses the Next Generation Solar Challenge Area. REACH-PSM advances perovskite technology, which offers the potential of more distributed solar manufacturing thanks to low-cost processing and manufacturing routes. REACH-PSM will collaborate across the Ayrton Fund portfolio to amplify impact. We will align with the Ayrton Challenge on Energy Storage, the LEIA programme, the Climate Compatible Growth Project, and the Zero Emission Generators initiative, exploring synergies in local manufacturing, circular economy principles, and sustainable energy solutions. ODA Compliance REACH-PSM is fully compliant with ODA criteria, as it directly addresses the economic and social challenges of Nigeria, Rwanda, Kenya, and South Africa—countries listed on the OECD DAC. By focusing on localised manufacturing and sustainable energy solutions, the project promotes economic development and improves the welfare of communities most in need. The expected outcomes include significant advancements in energy access, environmental sustainability, and economic empowerment, aligning with the broader goals of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG13 (Climate Action). We also seek to advance progress towards SDG5 (Gender Equality), SDG9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG10 (Reduced Inequality), SDG11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
African SCENe (Sustainable Community Energy Networks)
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Over 800 million people live without electricity globally, 600 million in Africa. African SCENe (Sustainable Community Energy Networks) was born from a desire to accelerate adequate, affordable, and reliable renewable energy within low-income suburban communities in sub-Saharan Africa, whilst enhancing nutrition, clean energy awareness and education. Our vision is to make clean energy accessible to not only drive climate action but also to enable children raised in off-grid and informal settlements to achieve their full potential. African SCENe proposes to turn schools within informal settlements into Community Energy Hubs (CEHs) through innovative business models that make energy generation and storage technology accessible, fostering sustainable energy practices, enhancing local resilience, and empowering communities to take control of their energy production and consumption. The advent of affordable locally supplied energy technology means this is now possible: we can energise the lives of informal settlement dwellers, stimulating community members to collaborate and share benefits. The challenges we are addressing are the lack of proven business models and community support to make it financially and socially viable. The Ayrton themes we are responding to are firstly ‘smart delivery: inclusive energy and leave no-one behind’ and secondly ‘super-efficient demand: modern cooking services and energy efficiency’. The core team spent 12 months in two major informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya, working with communities to co-create a workable business model that is supported by informal schools and approved by the Kenyan Ministry of Education. Our study has shown that African SCENe’s concept can be physically and economically viable in both off-grid and informal settlements. Our study established a feasible approach to overcome the biggest hurdle in the deployment of clean energy: financing. The theoretical business model prioritises the use of energy generated by the CEHs for school use during teaching hours and for revenue-generating activities afterschool. This revenue will repay the asset costs over 7-8 years. Assets will be funded using a blended finance model (25% impact grant 75% commercial loan). Accurately sizing the assets, managing energy generation/demand, and costs/revenue administration are some of the areas where research innovation is needed. We now want to test this through a 3-year 10-school pilot in Nairobi that would enable us to address social-economic viability and prove the business model. Kenya experiences similar challenges to other African countries: unequal energy access, energy insecurity, low availability of clean energy, food insecurity, disparities in access and participation to education/training, pressure on educational facilities, and large population living in slums. Once proven in Kenya, the model can be scalable across many sub-Saharan African countries. This funding will enable our interdisciplinary research team to answer remaining questions and validate our concept to bring our vision to reality. The wider vision is for equitable and sustainable community energy to play a significant role in meeting African sustainable development goals (SDG). African SCENe is clearly aligned with SDG7 Affordable and Clean Energy (via the provision of accessible distributed solar energy generation) and SDG13 Climate Action (via increased energy resilience, security, and awareness within informal settlements, raised capacity for climate change-related planning and a focus on the marginalised), and delivers against a further 11 SDGs (see Fig4: Our Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals). Notably, our proposition can improve access and quality of education, enabling informal schools to deliver the new Competency-Based Curriculum through accessing power for IT/labs.
Moving IMPACT: Integrated Means to Power Agriculture, Clean Cooking and Transportation
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Clean energy access will be key for achieving the global development goals; it has clear links to health, education, water access, etc... Many regions, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, have low electricity access today. Scalability, cost-effectiveness and abundance of solar irradiance make solar the best technology for this endeavour. Solar Home Systems (SHS) have successfully provided basic services like lighting and mobile phone charging to many communities. However, SHS offer low power output, which limits their ability to support more energy-intensive applications such as electric cooking. Electric stoves, which could significantly reduce reliance on wood stoves, offer health and environmental benefits but require much more power than what SHS can provide. Connecting multiple SHS to form a larger grid has been considered but is often impractical due to high costs and limited scalability. Instead, community-scale solar mini-grids, with larger generation and storage, present a viable alternative. These mini-grids can be designed to support household cooking and industrial and agricultural uses such as grain milling and cooling. They can also provide power for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, an important development in many African cities where motorbike taxis are common. Electric motorbikes offer a cleaner alternative to fuel-powered engines but require reliable and substantial power sources for charging. Integrating mini-grids with local distribution networks can enhance their efficiency and reliability. By connecting mini-grids to these networks, they can share resources and provide power during peak demand times or when the main grid is down. This integration can benefit both the mini-grids and the distribution system, creating a more resilient energy network. The installation of solar panels requires a significant land area, which can conflict with agricultural activities and conservation efforts. However, solar panels can power agricultural equipment like water pumps and with appropriate co-design (agrivoltaics) the panels can provide shade and support soil temperature control and water conservation. Additionally, the revenue from mini-grid services can support local farmers and enhance their economic stability. Our project will explore how mini-grids with EV charging infrastructure for small vehicles can be integrated into agricultural areas and support various community needs. We will develop geographical models to identify optimal locations for these mini-grids and evaluate how different technologies and applications can be combined. Our research team, with expertise in infrastructure planning, political geography, and electrical engineering, will focus on how mini-grids can interact with local distribution networks to maximize their benefits. We plan to test these concepts in real-world settings by deploying a small set of EVs and suitable charging infrastructure. The interaction with the community, industrial developers and national regulators based in Ghana, Rwanda and Kenya will provide steering and inform the development of models and systems required in our work. The project is led by Imperial College London with a consortium of researchers from the University of Strathmore (Kenya), University of Energy and Natural Resources of Ghana, the University of Leeds, the University of Rwanda, the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences and the Kigali Centre for Collaborative Research (Rwanda).
Floating Instream Tidal and Solar (FITS) Power Plant - Nepal Pilot Project
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Harvesting hydrokinetic energy from running river water presents a highly attractive addition to the existing renewable energy sectors. Critically, and unlike most other renewables, this technology guarantees a predictable and consistent energy output which can contribute to the baseload power requirements of its energy off-takers. AEL has developed an innovative hybrid technology which couples run-of-river hydrokinetic generation with solar - the Floating Instream Tidal and Solar (FITS) power plant. FITS technology has been specifically optimized for river deployments, and is scalable to enable both energy access and utility scale power generation. This project will deliver the first fully developed FITS pilot, supplying constant renewable power to an off-grid community in rural Nepal. The electricity supplied will be used to provide lighting and cooking facilities to households in the community, and will additionally power water filtration and pumping equipment, providing access to clean water for drinking and water for agricultural industry.
Rice-straw powered biowaste to energy
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
This consortium, let by Carnot Ltd, seeks to develop the world's first profitable rice-straw bioenergy demonstrator for a rural community in Lombok Island, Indonesia. Rice straw is separated from the grains during harvesting and either combusted (producing CO2) or left to decompose (producing methane with 25\* Global Warming Potential) due to challenges with harvesting it, particularly in flooded paddy fields (a common occurrence). Straw Innovations has created innovative technology that overcomes the barriers to harvesting it in all weathers, unlocking a potential 300Mt of rice straw generated in Asia every year. Rice straw has high ash content (around 20%), comprising about 75% silica. This, combined with other components in the straw (chlorine, potassium) causes melting and slagging / fouling in boilers when combusted. Hence, it is not an easy fuel to chop or combust. PyroGenesys have developed a lower-temperature pyrolysis process which can convert rice straw into Biochar, a carbon-sequestering fertiliser that can be used by the rice farmers, and biofuel. The carbon sequestered can be traded on carbon removal markets. Surplus biofuel not used to generate electricity can be sold. Electricity is a low-value commodity and renewable electricity projects will typically require very large scale to be profitable and attract funding required from investors. PyroGenesys' process solves this problem by opening up two very high-value revenue streams. Carnot is developing ceramic engine gensets with double the efficiency of state-of-the-art diesel gensets, capable of operating on all fuels. These will provide electricity to the rice mills as their base load as well as electricity to a rural community. Integrating Carnot's gensets enables revenues generated by biofuel sales to be maximised. Indonesia: * Is the world's 5th largest GHG emitter. * Is the largest producer of biofuels worldwide. * Has mandated to convert a significant portion of its palm oil into FAME biodiesel. There is a reluctance to move to renewable energy due to fossil fuel sunk costs/subsidies and no proven profitable off-grid low-carbon energy business model. This demonstrator project aims to be the catalyst to breaking the deadlock and unleashing investment into Indonesia's enormous renewable energy potential. Key project outputs: * Pilot-scale demonstration of business model feasibility * 200,000kg rice-straw feedstock; * 76,000kg value-added-biochar/53,200kg carbon sequestration/80,000kg biofuel; * 2.28MWh electricity provided to rice mill.
Advanced filters
To search for Programmes in a specific time period, please enter the start and end dates.