Wed, 15 January, 2025
PowerPath is a pioneering project that is developing a first-of-its-kind, power infrastructure path for rural Africa. At its heart lies local value creation through the provision of economic opportunities, and access to training and up-skilling, as well as improvements in living conditions and a reduction in poverty levels.
Lateral Electrification is a novel solution being implemented through PowerPath to draw on renewable energies, digital technologies and on-the-ground entrepreneurship. It is a progressive concept that clusters small structures, including nano-grids, DC-grids and DC/AC mini-grids, to generate abundant solar power and can also lead to additional services in the future such as motor power and thermal energy. Lateral Electrification was developed by project partner, and French-Malagasy social business, Nanoé, whose vision for PowerPath is that it delivers both wider access to energy and work opportunities for individuals in rural Africa.
Joining Nanoé on the project consortium are the Materials Innovation Centre (MatIC); a strategic partnership between the University of Leicester and TWI, The Power Hub Ltd and Technovative Solutions Ltd, who is also the Lead partner.
Together the team will address a number of technological challenges over the course of the project including:
- Creation of smart-DC to DC-power convertors to interconnect solar nano-grids and optimise energy sharing
- Improvements to state-of-charge estimation methods for lead-acid solar batteries to enhance their charge/discharge management and increase their lifetime
- Development of innovative, low-cost, solar coating materials that will enable optimal output / yield of solar photovoltaic modules
- Formulation of tailored, internet of things (IoT) solutions to allow remote monitoring of power infrastructures intended to be deployed in low connectivity locations.
Initially PowerPath’s Lateral Electrification, smart energy management system is being located in Malagasy, Northern Madagascar, where it will provide improved access to electricity while simultaneously establishing the underpinning business model, based on social innovation and gender equality. Local community members will be trained to become technically skilled, local agents for the energy expansion, supporting ongoing maintenance of the technologies and future deployment.