Energy access for productive use

Facts, challenges & objectives

In Sub-Saharan Africa, over 95% of farmed land relies on seasonal rains to meet irrigation needs. West Africa’s access to modern irrigation is only 1%. The potential for solar water pumps on smallholder farms (less than one hectare) is at least 130 million units across West, Central and East Africa (excluding substituting diesel-pumps).

Low financial resources, however, means that smallholder farmers are limited in their ability to rent or use equipment, such as solar water pumps. These pumps can potentially increase annual income by 50% or more, in comparison to rainfed irrigation. Smallholder farms are often unaware of the benefits of solar technology devices. And they also lack access to financing. In addition, there are no supply chains from urban to rural areas, making it difficult to reach rural target groups.

Green People’s Energy for Africa works to improve economic and social benefits and sustainability of energy access through productive use of energy (PUE). To increase productive use of energy, the intiative supports:

  • Promoting PUE companies
  • Promoting framework conditions
  • Promoting users of renewable energy equipment

The threefold approach to improving conditions for productive use of energy (PUE) aims at support for PUE companies, framework conditions and users. Activities include the following:

PUE companies

  • Promoting PUE technologies in rural areas through incentives and collaboration with local businesses.
  • Driving proven PUE technologies in local markets to increase the benefits of existing solutions and strengthen existing business structures.
  • Professionalizing local solar companies to ensure the sector functions well.
  • Training technical staff in operating and maintaining solar systems.

Framework conditions

  • Ensuring standards for PUE technologies with the VeraSol database to promote quality products and long-term success.
  • Promoting pilot installations for demonstration purposes and awareness raising in local communities.
  • Community based approaches for community ownership and empowering independent operation and maintenance.

End-users

  • Establishing guarantee funds and offering incentive payments for microfinance service providers (MFIs) for access to financing so rural populations can buy solar technologies.
  • Building business relationships between users and solar companies, with contact beyond the project duration.
  • End-users purchasing PUE technologies themselves. This promotes ownership through property and self-participation.

Articles highlighting productive use measures

FeatureSDG 7

Pioneering a new concept of green cooling in rural Ethiopia

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Cooperatives have been producing fruit and vegetables for many decades. Because sensitive fruits are not sufficiently cooled, goods spoil unnecessarily.  Together with its partners and other GIZ projects, Green People´s Energy is therefore testing modern solar-powered cooling systems in horticultural cooperativ…
ProfileSDG 7

Providing impetus for local value creation and more solar electricity

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Promoting new business models to increase value creation and enable sustainable electricity supply.
StorySDG 1

Solar drying – and avoiding crop losses

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Since time immemorial, small-holder farmers have been drying fruits, beans and other crops with the help of the sun. However, this practice goes along with serious disadvantages. In contrast, solar-PV-powered drying, however, avoids crop losses. Because this technology is still relatively unknown in Ethiopia, Green …
NewsSDG 17

Green People’s Energy promotes solar irrigation in Ethiopia

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How do you combine climate-friendly water pumping and irrigation with efficient water usage? Solar-powered irrigation is the answer! To spread this insight, the Green People´s Energy initiative has built up a training plot and demonstration plot for this technology. To increase awareness and knowledge of the…
ProfileSDG 7

Project for the economic autonomy of rural communities through the productive use of renewable energy

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Supporting the purchase of photovoltaic systems to set up income-generating activities, as well as providing training for setting up and maintaining these systems.
StorySDG 3

Health centres sell ice cream and drinks thanks to solar electricity

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Since October 2021, 15 health centres have been producing their own solar electricity. This allows them to supply patients around the clock. People also come by for another reason. Namely, at the centres, people can buy cold drinks and ice cream, charge their cell phones or borrow a solar lamp for a small fee. The r…
StorySDG 7

A water pump that inspires a community to do more

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In 2021, at the Langdi Paradise Farms in Upper West Ghana, a solar mechanized water pump was installed through the support of the Green People’s Energy project of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). Thanks to the new irrigation, the farmers can now grow vegetables in the dry season. But fo…
ProfileSDG 17

Foundation promotes solar technologies for farmers 

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The “Maa Green Energy” project aims to kick-start the local market for solar products
StorySDG 7

Results-based financing lets farmers in Senegal buy solar-powered water pumps, helping to increase harvests

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After almost 40 farmers bought solar pumps through the results-based financing approach used by Germany’s initiative for Green People’s Energy, they reported almost 100% increases in their harvests. No wonder another 50 farmers have now registered as potential customers for solar pumps.
StorySDG 7

Using the sun’s rays to refrigerate food

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Electricity from solar plants and cooling technology are an ideal mix to help industries develop. In this interview, Thomas Bundi from Strathmore University explains the technology and talks about the workshop he was instrumental in developing.
StorySDG 5

Dairy committees learn business 101

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40 members of the cooperatives underwent training in entrepreneurship and organisational dynamics in January.
ProfileSDG 2SDG 8

Greenhouses create secure jobs for women

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Thanks to solar-irrigated greenhouses, solar cooling and innovative marketing, women farmers in northern Malawi can triple their income.
NewsSDG 7

New training: Solar cooling systems significantly increase productivity

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The Solar Cooling training course will be available from 21 to 23 February.
DebateSDG 7

Energy is the key to regional value creation

Interview31 August 2021 Energy is the key to regional value creation Since its announcement by Federal Minister Dr. Gerd Müller in 2017, the initiative, Green People’s Energy for Africa, has launched numerous projects in nine focus countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The two BMZ Special Representatives for Energy i…
FeatureSDG 7

GBE launches solar design advisory support for SMEs in Uganda

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50 companies can benefit from free technical advice and customised guidance on investing in solar energy.
FeatureSDG 7

Better value chains in African agriculture

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The postgraduate course “Food Chains in Agriculture” had this year 27 participants from Ethiopia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Togo and Tunisia.
FeatureSDG 7

Solid financing of solar energy systems for commercial purposes

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Results-Based financing (RBF) mechanism helped spreading the use of solar-powered agricultural machinery in Benin.
FeatureSDG 7

Ten solar-powered water pump systems supply farmers in Benin

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The high-quality solar-powered pumps enable farmers to save up to 200 euros a month.
ProfileSDG 3

Keeping Vaccines Cool with Solar Power

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Three additional health centers are able to keep vaccines cold, making immunizations available to more people in northern Uganda.
NewsSDG 7

Solar training for agricultural coaches

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Green People’s Energy’s has trained a dozen agricultural trainers on the use of renewable energy in off-grid areas in Benin.
ProfileSDG 8

Solar-cooled milk boosts income

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Solar-cooled milk containers are helping more dairy farmers become part of Zambia’s milk value chain.
FeatureSDG 17

Framework set for sustainable bioenergy in Côte d’Ivoire

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With 1,200 million tonnes of biomass annually, Côte d’Ivoire has excellent potential for bioenergy production.
FeatureSDG 7

Discussing the financing of renewable energy projects for productive use in Senegal

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GBE Senegal organized a three-day sensitization workshop on the possibilities to improve and expand the financing offers for renewable energy projects.
FeatureSDG 7

Improving incomes in the banana sector using solar energy

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48 companies in the banana value chain will soon benefit from better production conditions: With the installation of pumping systems, cold chain, and processing units that will be powered by solar energy. These companies will thus improve the quality of their product and increase their income.
ProfileSDG 8

Solar Water Pumps Secure Harvests and Livelihoods

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Project strengthens irrigation systems and climate resilience of smallholder farmers in northern Tanzania.
NewsSDG 7

Showcase project for more sustainable Tea Production in Uganda

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With the help of renewable energy, tea factories can reduce their energy costs, produce more economically and reduce deforestation.
FeatureSDG 7

Solar pumps secure harvests, income and livelihoods in northern Tanzania

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Where rain becomes rarer, solar-powered water pumps ensure the survival of smallholder farmers. The technology is low-maintenance and opens up numerous opportunities for people, as an example from Tanzania shows.
StorySDG 7

Boda boda taxis: First charging stations outside Kampala for solar-powered electric motorbikes are coming

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Stinking, rattling, CO2 emissions, that’s a thing of the past – at least for the electric motorbikes charged by solar power as piloted in a project of Green People’s Energy (GBE) Uganda
FeatureSDG 7

34 banana and agricultural producers exchanged ideas on solar irrigation and sustainable processing possibilities

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GBE Senegal discussed with the participants the advantages of solar irrigation systems for banana and other agricultural cultivation methods. The workshop also became interactive through matchmaking with other market actors, such as financial institutions.
FeatureSDG 7

First harvest at GBE Uganda’s solar irrigation demo garden in Gulu

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Only months after its set up at GIZ office in Gulu, GBE Uganda’s demonstration garden for Solar Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS) brought a first rich yield of tomatoes, collards, and other vegetables.
NewsSDG 5

GBE supports, in collaboration with ENDA Energie, the solar electrification of women-led rural dairy micro-enterprisess

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GBE supports the solar electrification of 24 mainly women-led dairy micro-enterprises in rural Senegal, thereby adding value to milk production, and reducing production waste for 200 farmers.
NewsSDG 7

Call for Manifestation of Interest: Support in Access to Finance for Productive Use Renewable Energy Projects

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GBE offers access to finance consulting for local productive use renewable energy project developers. The Call for Manifestation of Interest is open until Feb. 28, 2021.
NewsSDG 7

Solarbetriebene Bewässerungssysteme

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SPIS Schulungsmöglichkeit (zweite Aufnahmerunde) Von Mai bis Juli 2020 stellte die Ländermaßnahme Benin der GBE aufgrund des Covid19-Lockdowns auf Online-Trainingsformate um. Partnerunternehmen aus der Solarbranche wurden webbasierte Trainingskurse zu solarbetriebenen Bewässerungssystemen angeboten.
NewsODD 7

Systèmes d’irrigation à énergie solaire

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Opportunité de formation SPIS (deuxième vague); De mai à juillet 2020, GBE Bénin a réagi au blocage de COVID-19 dans le pays en mettant en ligne ses activités de formation; les entreprises solaires partenaires ont eu accès à un cours de formation en ligne sur l’irrigation à l’énergie solaire.
NewsSDG 7

Solar Energy Irrigation Systems

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SPIS Training opportunity (second intake); From May to July 2020, GBE Benin reacted to the COVID-19 lockdown in the country by taking their training activities online; partner solar companies were offered access to a web-based training course on solar powered irrigation.
ProfileSDG 8

Using Solar Power in Coffee Production

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Using solar drying systems, Kenya’s coffee farmers can improve the quality of beans, reduce labour input and achieve higher prices.
ProfileSDG 8

Kaffeebohnen solar trocknen

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Kenias Kaffeebauern können mit Hilfe solarer Trocknungssysteme die Qualität der Bohnen erhöhen, den Arbeitsaufwand senken und höhere Preise erzielen.
ProfileODD 8

Utilisation de l’énergie solaire dans la production de café

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Grâce aux systèmes de séchage solaire, les producteurs de café du Kenya peuvent améliorer la qualité des grains, réduire la main-d’œuvre et obtenir des prix plus élevés.
ProfileSDG 7

Solar Park Secures Award Winning Radio Station

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Radio Pacis produces its own electricity, while also providing a supply to the public power grid.
NewsSDG 3

Production of Standardized and Accessible Fabric Masks

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Green People’s Energy Mozambique supports the production of standardized and accessible fabric masks to promote safety measures and income generation for small-scale producers as part of its component on Productive Use of Energy. The distribution of masks will include recommendations for their use as well as awarene…
NewsSDG 7

First Productive Use of Energy idea Competition for the Private Sector

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In response to the great relevance of off-grid energy for productive use (PUE), Green People’s Energy Uganda, launched the first PuE Idea Competition for the Private Sector in late May. Solar distributors, project developers and operators of PuE technologies were invited to apply. Successful applicants are eligible…