GBE

The Green Citizens Energy project consists of the two sub-projects "Optimisation of the supply and demand side of mini-grid systems in Namibia" and "Application of off-grid solar systems for education and training on an island in Lake Victoria in Uganda".

The Namibia sub-project of the Green People‘s Energy for Africa (GBE) initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) builds on the PROCEED project and deepens the cooperation with the Namibia Energy Institute (NEI) in the field of rural electrification. Possibilities for optimising mini-grid systems in Namibia are being investigated, particularly in the rural settlements of Tsumkwe and Uutsathima. On the demand side, Productive Use Cases have been prioritised and a low-threshold entrepreneurship course called „Easy Startup Playbook“ has been developed to address local training and education needs. In 2023, course leaders will be trained to deliver entrepreneurship training at the project sites. On the supply side, research was conducted on how to improve the financing and operation of mini-grids through the sale of CO2 certificates. Various CO2 markets and processes for certifying mini-grid projects were analysed.

In the second sub-project, the research team from Uganda Christian University (UCU) and the Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences (HNU) are cooperating under the leadership of Dr. Elizabeth Kizito and Prof. Dr. Elmar Steurer from GIZ within the framework of the Green Citizen Energy (GBE) programme on the topic of „Application of Off-Grid Solar Systems for Education and Training on an Island in Lake Victoria in Uganda“. The cooperation includes feasibility assessments on site, discussions with stakeholders, surveys in the village community and the creation of a digital teaching programme for children and young adults. The aim is to digitise education in remote island communities using solar energy and improve living conditions. A financing and ownership model is also being developed, as well as measures to raise awareness among residents. The project is intended to serve as a model for the electrification of other islands and is based on the DFG-funded project DEDLRAU „Implementation of Solar Mini-Grids for Digital Learning Models in the Rural Areas of Uganda“.