In the heart of East Africa, where refugees and communities living near to their camps face daily struggles for basic resources, a new initiative is offering hope. The research based Sustainable Energy Systems (SUNNY) project started in June 2024 and will light the way toward a green energy future for people who are struggling to adapt to climate change in Uganda and Rwanda.
Solutions, such as clean hydrogen and biogas cooking systems and refrigeration for food, aim to improve the lives of people in remote areas, especially those who are displaced.
They will see their incomes raised, household waste reduced and enjoy cleaner, healthier cooking to showcase the power of clean energy as a way of boosting local economies.
By providing better lighting, the ability to store and process food and clean cooking, technologies are improving lives, creating jobs, and advancing sustainability.
“We are incredibly excited to be moving forward with this project. This project is more than just energy access,” says Denyse Umubyeyi, Rwanda’s Country Director at Practical Action.
“It’s about creating opportunity, improving health, and ensuring food security for some of the most vulnerable people in the world. By combining renewable energy with local solutions, this programme will give communities the tools to shape their own futures.”
One key aspect of SUNNY’s success is its focus on people. Through capacity-building initiatives and locally adapted business models, the project is empowering communities to manage and maintain these solutions.
Over four years, Practical Action will show how by listening to people’s challenges and understanding their ambitions, renewable energy can meet local needs.
Specific goals include:
- Providing basic energy access to households using Solar Home Systems
- Reducing carbon emissions from cooking while improving health
- Helping preserve food longer and cut down on waste using refrigerated food storage
- Using biogas to boost farming and improve food security.
- Building Skills: Teaching local communities, the knowledge and skills they need to make a lasting difference
- Developing Business Models: Creating affordable and locally tailored plans to encourage people to use and expand these solutions
As the project progresses, its reach will extend beyond the local communities. SUNNY’s replication plan, involving 15 additional case studies, will ensure that the lessons learned, and technologies developed will impact more communities across Africa and beyond.
The programme will also see Practical Action expand its work into Uganda and includes training and policy recommendations to ensure the best examples of progress can be taken to scale. With its focus on sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation, the SUNNY Project is not just addressing today’s challenges but laying the foundation for a brighter, greener tomorrow.