Community and EV Renewable Energy Resource Hub

The OU’s pioneering research related to international development in the energy sector ranges from energy and climate change policy for East Africa to the repurposing of electric vehicle (EV) batteries and the potential of off-grid supply systems.

Over 650 million people in Africa have no or limited access to affordable and clean energy. At a time when all countries around the world are being forced to amend their practices to mitigate climate change, help is needed to enable developing countries to transition to the use – and broad rollout – of EV.

The OU’s Community and EV Renewable Energy Resource Hub - led by Dr Charles Mbalyohere, OU Senior Lecturer in Strategic Management will strengthen sub-Saharan Africa’s EV transition strategies at a critical time in the global response to the climate crisis. Online training materials will be piloted with a minimum of 300 people and 100 direct and indirect jobs central to initiating the new industry will be established.

A consortium of Ugandan and UK-based business, academic, institutional, and civil society partners has been established – including leading African EV firms such as Kiira Motors Corporation and Zembo – enabling this pioneering programme to be implemented, prior to a broader rollout across sub-Saharan Africa.

Funding is required to develop and undertake the pilot training programme, as well as to develop the capabilities to enable second life to be offered to thousands of batteries that will ultimately become unusable in electric vehicles but can still be used for stationary energy storage.

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Get in touch

Email Gillian Hosier or call on 01908 858285 to discuss this project