Nigeria has been listed among five African countries being considered for the expansion of a United Kingdom-backed renewable energy initiative targeting at least 25 per cent reduction in humanitarian organisations’ energy costs through the adoption of solar power and battery storage.
The initiative, known as ZERO, or Zero Emissions Utility, seeks to reduce dependence on expensive diesel generators by enabling humanitarian agencies to access cleaner and more affordable electricity without substantial upfront investment.
Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Chad are the other African countries identified under the initiative, which is being piloted with United Nations agencies in Chad.
The project is being implemented under the international ZE-Gen initiative, supported by the UK Government’s Ayrton Fund through the Transforming Energy Access platform.
According to the organisers, humanitarian agencies spend more than $100 million annually on diesel generator fuel, exposing them to volatile prices, supply disruptions, high maintenance costs and avoidable carbon emissions.
Under the ZERO model, participating organisations pay an agreed tariff for the electricity they consume, while the Access to Energy Institute, A2EI, finances, builds and operates the solar and battery storage systems through local partners.
The arrangement is designed to eliminate the need for large initial investments by humanitarian organisations while providing reliable electricity at lower costs.
The first installation is already operating at a United Nations agency’s country office in N’Djamena, Chad, and is projected to reduce generator operating hours by between 73 and 85 per cent.
A second installation is under development, with the first two sites expected to generate savings of approximately $1 million over 10 years.
Lily Beadle, ZE-Gen Programme Director at the Carbon Trust, said the initiative could help humanitarian agencies access cleaner electricity while freeing up resources for essential services.
“Humanitarian agencies need reliable power to deliver water, healthcare, protection and other essential support, but many remain dependent on expensive diesel generators – costing millions of dollars in polluting fuel,” she said.
Beadle added that reducing fuel expenditure would allow humanitarian organisations to channel more resources towards their core responsibilities.
“Every pound spent on generator fuel is money that cannot be used elsewhere in the humanitarian response,” she said.
She disclosed that ZE-Gen was seeking additional funders and investment partners to expand the project to more humanitarian facilities.
Thomas Gottschalk, Managing Director and Founder of A2EI, said the model could also benefit other organisations that depend on large fuel-powered generators for electricity.
“ZERO is a model that allows every organisation that is relying on large fuel generators to switch to solar without the burden of an initial investment,” he said.
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