Empowering people in Sub-Saharan Africa
Africa GreenTec is an extraordinary impact business. The company, co-founded by Torsten and Aida Schreiber, operates solar plants in some of the most challenging regions across the French-speaking part of Africa. The sites are set-up in robust containers specially designed for use in remote regions. Africa GreenTec stands out from other providers in the market primarily due to the following aspects:
- the holistic approach: the solar containers do not only provide electricity, but – depending on the needs – further modules that enable a productive use of the energy, such as internet access, cooling aggregates, water treatment plants
- the regional focus: Africa GreenTec operates in countries that suffer from terrorism and/or that are at the very bottom of the Human Development Index, such as Mali, Niger or Chad. Africa GreenTec thus also contributes to stabilising the political situation, as extremism is fuelled by poverty.
- the ambitious growth path: People often compare companies with a zebra (a herd animal) or a unicorn (symbolic for their spearhead). Africa GreenTec definitely sees itself as a pioneering company that wants to grow fast and big and has built up a large circle of fans and supporters to do so. The current crowdfunding campaign, which runs until 31 April 2021, has raised almost 2 million euros; Africa GreenTec’s Facebook page has more than 1.2 million followers. The energy transition in Africa and the global climate crisis, according to the slogan, requires “think big” and needs actors who act quickly.
The motivation to found Africa GreenTec had several motivations for Torsten and Aida Schreiber. Visiting a power plant in Bamako, the capital of Mali, which burns 40,000 litres of diesel a day (in one of the sunniest countries on earth), was a key experience. The realisation that improving living conditions in areas of West Africa threatened by terrorism can stabilise the political situation was a second key experience. Africa GreenTec links both goals.
The video features Africa GreenTec’s work in Mali:
How Africa GreenTec contributes to the 17 Global Goals
Affordable and clean energy
Access to affordable and clean energy for underserved communities in crisis areas
Decent work and economic growth
Strengthening local economic development by focusing on the productive use of energy.
Climate action
Substitution of diesel generators as one of Africa GreenTec’s business lines.
Industry, innovation, and infrastructure
Creating an efficient, clean infrastructure for energy, internet, water treatment or cold chains.
Peace, justice, and strong institutions
Avoiding conflicts, strengthening UN institutions (World Food Programme)
Project Assessment
You can access the full project assessment here:
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