The UK has launched a new initiative to scale up clean energy innovations across Africa, with Kenya being one of the eight beneficiary countries. The ZE-Gen initiative, a joint programme by the Carbon Trust and Innovate UK, has invested over £2 million in 10 projects designed to expand clean energy alternatives in key sectors such as healthcare, telecommunications, and food production. This move aims to reduce reliance on fossil-fuel generators and promote sustainable development.
In Kenya, two companies, Acele Africa and SHIELD, are driving clean energy solutions for healthcare facilities. Acele Africa will deploy locally designed and assembled modular battery systems to help hospitals, schools, and small businesses move away from diesel generators in areas with unreliable grid power. The company's CEO, Joseph Mungai, emphasized the importance of developing reliable, repairable, and scalable energy storage systems that can operate and expand over time.
The ZE-Gen initiative is backed by the UK Government's Ayrton Fund through the Transforming Energy Access platform and funded through its Global Research and Technology Development portfolio. This programme supports companies that have already demonstrated promising technologies and approaches through earlier innovation programmes, including Energy Catalyst and Powering Renewable Energy Opportunities.
The projects under the ZE-Gen initiative span various sectors and applications across Africa. Uganda will receive battery-powered telecommunications infrastructure, while Mozambique will support renewable-powered fishing and cold-chain hubs. Nigeria will deploy solar-powered food storage and processing facilities, and Madagascar will benefit from community electrification projects. Lesotho is also among the beneficiary countries.
ZE-Gen Programme Director Lily Beadle highlighted the importance of scaling up successful approaches to clean energy innovations. She noted that the programme is helping innovative companies move from pilot projects to larger-scale deployment, creating new opportunities for investment while delivering cleaner, more reliable, and affordable energy where it is needed most.
The UK has been expanding partnerships with African countries on clean energy and other areas of sustainable development. Globally, over 1.5 billion people lack consistent access to electricity, with many relying on highly polluting generators that have been linked to health risks, including respiratory illness and hearing loss.
The ZE-Gen initiative aims to demonstrate how clean energy can support essential services, strengthen local economies, and improve resilience in off-grid and weak-grid communities. With Kenya being one of the beneficiaries, the country is expected to benefit from new clean energy systems for hospitals, reducing reliance on fossil-fuel generators and promoting sustainable development.
Key points
- Eight African countries, including Kenya, to benefit from UK-backed clean energy innovations.
- The ZE-Gen initiative has invested over £2 million in 10 projects to expand clean energy alternatives.
- The programme aims to reduce reliance on fossil-fuel generators and promote sustainable development across Africa.
