A new wave of clean energy projects is launching across Africa as part of a UK-African initiative aimed at phasing out fossil fuel generators. Six pilot projects in Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda will test new renewable energy technologies tailored to local needs. The effort is supported by £4.85 million in funding from the ZE-Gen Demonstrator programme, delivered by Innovate UK on behalf of the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
ZE-Gen has already mobilised £39.75 million in funding to support job creation, business growth, and climate action in regions heavily reliant on diesel and gas generators. Backed by the UK Government’s Ayrton Fund and the IKEA Foundation, ZE-Gen has launched more than 35 renewable energy projects across countries including Côte d’Ivoire, Fiji, Malawi, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, and Uganda.
Six New Demonstrator Projects
The latest funding round will support the following projects:
Malawi: A female-led Kenyan company, E-Safiri Charging Ltd., will deliver a portable, flat-packed micro-power station using solar and wind energy to power rural health centres and agricultural cold storage facilities.
Nigeria (ZEBRAS project): Led by Dundee-based MEP Technologies, this project offers a full-service clean energy system, including swappable rechargeable batteries, a containerised renewable power station, and repurposed fossil fuel generators. Partners include PowerUp Off-Grid Services, Nevadic, The Washing Machine Project, and Skrum.
Nigeria (Thermal battery pilot): AED Energy Ltd. from London is developing advanced thermal batteries with thermophotovoltaics to provide clean, steady electricity. The pilot will launch at Pan Atlantic University in Lagos, with plans to expand into other sectors.
Nigeria (MOPO project): Sheffield-based MOPO Ltd. is offering affordable energy access through solar-charged, rentable batteries that replace traditional generators. Customers pay per use, making clean power more accessible to households and small businesses.
South Africa: London-based Stellae Energy will lead a hybrid renewable energy and battery storage project to provide reliable electricity to health clinics in underserved Cape Town communities. Local partners include Resilience Energy-South Africa and Rhizome Energy.
Uganda: Grid AI Ltd. from Loughborough is introducing an AI-powered system that combines solar power with reused electric vehicle batteries to replace diesel generators.
A Global Challenge
Around 1.5 billion people worldwide still lack access to reliable electricity. In emerging economies, more than 25 million fossil fuel generators are currently in use, bringing serious environmental, economic, and health consequences. These include increased carbon emissions, high fuel costs, and health issues such as lung disease and hearing damage.
Despite hosting two-thirds of the global population, emerging economies receive just 15% of worldwide clean energy investment. Power outages lasting days or weeks are common, disrupting education, healthcare, and business operations.
ZE-Gen: Driving Local Change with Global Impact
ZE-Gen, a joint initiative by the Carbon Trust and Innovate UK, supports innovative clean energy technologies to scale across developing regions. It helps break down barriers by combining innovation, investment, and skills development to grow competitive markets for clean power.
“Supporting cutting-edge technology is a core part of ZE-Gen,” said Dr James Coombes O’Brien, ZE-Gen lead at Innovate UK. “These Demonstrator projects will show the benefits of using renewable energy over fossil fuels. We’re proud to back both UK and international partners working on global energy challenges.”
Launched at COP27, ZE-Gen is the first major international initiative dedicated to helping communities in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Indo-Pacific shift from fossil fuel generators to clean energy.
“Taking clean energy out of the lab and into real-world communities is essential,” said Lily Beadle, ZE-Gen lead at the Carbon Trust. “These projects will prove what works, meet community needs, and help create commercially viable energy solutions. Local partnerships and collaboration are central to our mission.”
The programme aims to unlock new international markets, create economic opportunities, and accelerate the global transition to sustainable energy.
