PREO announces £2.2m funding to boost renewable energy in sub-Saharan Africa

The Powering Renewable Energy Opportunities (PREO) programme has announced the recipients of its funding initiative.

The programme supports innovative companies leveraging clean energy to transform schools, businesses, and communities across sub-Saharan Africa.

The PREO programme has committed £2.2 million to support 14 companies across sub-Saharan Africa.

The fourth round of funding, which aims to drive the region’s clean energy adoption and inclusive energy transition, is not limited to a single sector.

Selected from over 240 applications spanning 29 countries, each company will receive between £86,000 and £237,000 over one to two years, along with technical support.

The funding targets diverse sectors, including agri-processing, cooling, solar irrigation, e-waste recycling, e-mobility, healthcare, and education, ensuring that all aspects of the economy are involved in the transition to renewable energy.

In a statement on Friday, beneficiaries of the funding include Ecobara, a Kenya-based start-up; and Inter Ethiopia Solutions.

Ecobora has launched a “cooking-as-a-service” model for marginalised schools. The organisation installs solar-powered cooking boilers, substituting firewood with a clean and sustainable energy alternative in Kenya.

Inter Ethiopia Solutions, on the other hand, enhances access to renewable energy by refurbishing discarded electronic equipment and promoting clean energy technologies that can improve livelihoods.

Richa Goyal, programme manager at the IKEA Foundation, underscored the significance of the funding round.

“With this latest round, PREO reaffirms its role as the only dedicated platform for testing business models that focus on productive use of renewable energy,” Goyal said.

“The selected innovations have the potential to transform sectors by delivering first-time clean energy access to businesses and institutions.”

Rhiannon Turner, PREO Programme lead at the Carbon Trust, said: “We are excited to announce the latest line-up of new companies to be supported in this phase of PREO.”

“The diverse range of sectors and technologies represented highlights the enormous opportunity to prove the viability of business models that drive income creation and improve livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa,” Turner said.

PREO is supported by the IKEA Foundation and UK Aid through the Transforming Energy Access platform.