Successful electrification of six leading hospitals in Sierra Leone inspired the extension 

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, 20 September - Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) has now extended the Sierra Leone Healthcare Electrification Project to provide solar power electrification of 0.308 Megawatt peak (MWp) to an additional government hospital in Kailahun and 25 Community Health Centres (CHCs) across the country. 

Currently, 18 of these CHCs have no existing power source and the remaining have unreliable access to the grid or are self-generating using diesel. But that will change when the solar PV and battery systems are installed, giving doctors and nurses a reliable power source for treating patients. The new systems will significantly lower reliance on diesel generators, which will reduce the government’s healthcare expenditure on generator fuel and prevent greenhouse gas emissions. 
 

This groundbreaking project is in collaboration with the Ministry of Health in Sierra Leone alongside support from the UK Government and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) until its completion date of October 2024. 

Collaborative efforts are vital, the Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby emphasized this: “The link between energy and health sectors is instrumental in improving service delivery and health outcomes. We made a commitment at COP28 that we will go green for health and this means that as we increase the number of health facilities and improve on existing ones, we will be conscious about the climate by ensuring that we prioritize renewable energy sources. This is why we are very pleased with the partnership we have with SEforALL and the UK Government as they help electrify our health facilities.”  

The Sierra Leone Healthcare Electrification Project was launched after needs assessments were carried out in October 2022. Solar panels with battery systems were commissioned at six prominent medical facilities including the Ola During Children’s Hospital and the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital both in Freetown, then Masanga Hospital in Tonkolili, and three more government hospitals in Kambia, Kabala and Bonthe by late December 2023.  

Solar power is life-changing, a Maternity Nurse at Kambia Government Hospital, Mariatu Kamara reflected: “Can you believe we used phone lights to perform deliveries in the maternity ward? Solar has made my work easier. I'm now free from the ordeal of holding a phone in my mouth while I do the delivery. The patients are also happy.” 

The initial six hospitals received a combined total of more than 0.6MWp of installed solar PV capacity with battery storage, and are now fully equipped to provide critical medical care at all hours of the day and night. 

This phase of the project will power facilities in several districts, including Bo, Bonthe, Kailahun, Kono, Tonkolili, and the Western Area, benefiting key centers such as Bo School Clinic, Gerihun CHC, Moriba Town CHC, Taiama Trauma Centre, and Jenner Wright in Freetown, alongside 20 other facilities.

The transition has been transformative for Sierra Leone and it’s only the beginning. SEforALL’s Sierra Leone Country Manager, Ngozi Beckley-Lines expressed pride in the project’s impact: “Rural and underserved communities can now rely on clean and renewable solar power, ensuring improved around-the-clock medical care. The energy transition work continues, and we will leave no one behind.”

SEforALL plans to install a total of 4.3MWp of solar power across Sierra Leone. The third and final phase of the Sierra Leone Healthcare Electrification Project will supply another 11 hospitals including Lakka, Port Loko, Makeni and Kenema Government Hospitals with solar PV and battery systems.

Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have announced an innovative partnership focused on bringing clean and efficient cooking solutions to schools in Africa, helping them shift away from polluting and harmful cooking methods currently used for preparing student meals.

Transitioning schools to clean, affordable and reliable cooking solutions, such as electric cooking (eCooking), improves the health of students, teachers and cooks by reducing their exposure to air pollution generated in school kitchens. It also improves wider economic and social outcomes, for example by eliminating time spent collecting firewood, while protecting the environment from emissions and deforestation from firewood use.

WFP has more than six decades of expertise providing and supporting school meals programmes, and SEforALL is dedicated to ending energy poverty and fighting climate change, so the two organizations saw a strong opportunity to further their respective missions by focusing on bringing sustainable energy to school meal programmes.

The partnership will first focus on implementing projects in Tanzania, where H.E. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has set a goal to deliver clean cooking solutions to 80 percent of the population by 2033. 

SEforALL and WFP, together with the Government of Tanzania and the UKAid-funded Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) programme, have already begun work on creating an eCooking programme in Tanzania that targets an initial 50 schools. These are primary schools with school feeding programmes that are connected to the national electricity grid, which offers an immediate opportunity to provide clean eCooking solutions that will feed more than 25,000 students.

Beyond the initial 50 schools, the partnership has identified more than 5,000 grid-connected schools in Tanzania for potential expansion of the programme, with more expected to join as electrification extension progresses. Using learnings from Tanzania, WFP and SEforALL will look to scale the programme to other countries as well. The partners have the ambition of reaching 10,000 schools and 5 million children globally in the next 3 years and are calling for an investment of about USD 100 million combined with carbon financing, to achieve this target.

The partnership was announced during the Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa on 14 May in Paris.

Clean cooking goes hand in hand with education, which is why we have designed a large-scale institutional e-cooking initiative in schools. We will kick-start this in Tanzania, where H.E. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has made this a priority.”

-Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, and Co-Chair of UN-Energy

Investing in clean cooking in households and at schools can make an important contribution to curbing global greenhouse gas emissions and reducing deforestation while promoting food security. With more than 418 million children receiving school meals in the world, this partnership will support governments to scale the ambition for clean cooking in schools and mobilize sustainable financing, while also supporting the establishment of carbon markets in Africa and elsewhere. 

-Stanlake J.T.M. Samkange, ad interim Assistant Executive Director of WFP

On 11 November, the Chief of Staff to the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Femi Gbajabiamila alongside Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, Damilola Ogunbiyi, visited Iponri Market in Surulere, Lagos State and inspected the first phase of solar installations deployed within the popular market. They were accompanied by Sterling Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Abubakar Suleiman and All On’s Chief Executive Officer, Caroline Eboumbou.

This visit to Iponri Market afforded the dignitaries the opportunity to interact with the end-users and provided valuable insights into the impact of clean and reliable energy on their respective business operations.   

The solar projects, funded by Universal Energy Facility (UEF) a results-based finance facility administered by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and executed by SOLAD Integrated Power, a clean energy and technology company, is an exciting development that underscores the commitment of both the Nigerian government and the Universal Energy Facility (UEF) to promoting sustainable energy solutions in the country.  

Cooking with firewood is harmful to peoples’ health and the environment, which is why the global push for clean cooking seeks to help people transition to less polluting cooking solutions.

According to the IEA, Rwanda ranks among the top 20 countries worldwide with the lowest percentage of the population with access to clean fuels and technologies. Approximately 93 percent of Rwandan households use biomass for cooking in the form of firewood (76 percent) and charcoal (17 percent), according to the 2022 Population and Housing Census of Rwanda.

A study developed by Sustainable Energy for All and its partners examined the potential for electric pressure cookers (EPCs) to replace these traditional, polluting cooking methods in Rwanda and inform government and industry efforts to promote the technology’s adoption.

The electric cooking (eCooking) study was a joint initiative between Nexleaf Analytics, Modern Energy Cooking Services, Electrocook, A2EI and Climate Solutions Consulting, with support from Swedish Postcode Foundation. It involved Electrocook providing 100 participants with EPCs  as a replacement for the charcoal and/or LPG stoves they were previously using. Their experiences with the EPCs were tracked to assess several factors, including overall usage, cooking costs, time savings, changes to cooking habits, and more.

Key findings of the study are summarized in a report titled Examining the Experience of Using Electric Pressure Cookers in Urban Households in Kigali, Rwanda and show that the overall experience of cooking with an EPC, which was a new cooking appliance to nearly all participating households, was positive.

The study shows that transitioning to eCooking offers numerous advantages both within households and on a wider scale. Study participants appreciated the cleaner and more convenient cooking experience offered by the EPC, both in terms of the fuel preparation and the cooking process itself. For example, the median time taken to prepare a meal decreased from one hour 44 minutes in the baseline phase to one hour 30 minutes in the pilot phase, resulting in a time saving of nearly 15 minutes.For some food like vegetables, about 30 minutes can be saved and savings for cooking beans are even greater.

However, the study also revealed several key barriers to consumer uptake of EPCs. For example, participants commonly resorted to fuel stacking (using an additional cooking method), indicating the challenge of cooking multiple dishes in an EPC, especially given that only one pot was provided with the appliance. This finding emphasizes the need for a cooking appliance that can accommodate multiple dishes simultaneously and include multiple pots (whether as an extra item paid for upfront or in instalments, or as part of a set).

These types of insights are meant to guide the efforts of industry and government to support a transition to clean cooking. Additionally, the report highlights that it is crucial to overcome potential barriers to people buying and using appliances. These include the cost, the current lack of training and familiarity with how to use eCooking appliances, user-centric design considerations, shared household electricity meters, and lack of awareness on cost competitiveness of cooking with electricity as part of a cooking mix. By addressing these factors, households can be encouraged to move away from biomass and transition towards cleaner and more sustainable fuel alternatives.

Up until recently, cooking with electricity was not viewed as a viable clean cooking alternative in Rwanda and other low-middle income countries due to the relatively high cost and inefficiency of electric cooking appliances, low levels of electricity access, and high cost of electricity where connections are available. However, with the emergence of energy-efficient appliances such as EPCs and the increasing availability and improved reliability of electricity, particularly in urban centres, electric cooking has become an option for greater numbers of people.

Study findings were presented during a workshop in Kigali on 8 November involving representatives from the Rwandan government, development partners, researchers and local clean cooking companies. The EPC pilot dataset is integral to the electric cooking model in the Integrated Clean Cooking Planning Tool that is being used to develop the Rwanda National Integrated Clean Cooking Plan, which will be publicly accessible by all stakeholders within the clean cooking sector. This strategic initiative will, in turn, facilitate informed decision-making for both government agencies and private sector actors.

The Government of India, as G20 President, and the Government of the United Arab Emirates, which holds the COP28 Presidency, put cooling firmly on the international energy agenda today at the High-Level Dialogue on Sustainable Cooling, which was part of the Clean Energy Ministerial-Mission Innovation Summit in Goa, India.

At a time when unprecedented heatwaves are gripping many regions of the world, today’s event highlighted how urgent action is needed to deliver sustainable cooling solutions that will protect people without hastening climate change. Several ministers and high-level representatives rallied behind the Global Cooling Pledge, its calls to action on sustainable cooling, and the steps the global community must take to achieve a “Cool COP28”, specifically one that sparks commitments towards improving sustainable cooling access.

The Global Cooling Pledge is an initiative led by the COP28 Presidency and supported by the Cool Coalition and its partners, including SEforALL. As highlighted by Ms. Ligia Noronha, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the New York Office of UN Environment Programme (UNEP), “the Pledge offers state and non-state actors a unique chance to enhance commitments to climate mitigation, to adaptation, resilience and investments towards sustainable cooling.”

Previewed earlier this year, it calls for progress on nature-based solutions, super-efficient appliances, food and vaccine cold chains, district cooling, and National Cooling Action Plans, among others.

During the event in Goa, Dr. Sultan al Jaber, COP28 President-Designate and the UAE’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, said, “We have a unique opportunity to deliver a significant collective response to the cooling challenge via this very important initiative – the Global Cooling Pledge. This Pledge aims to improve efficiency and increase access to sustainable cooling. It is gaining momentum, with more than 20 early supporters, including India and Denmark.”  

The COP 28 President-Designate was joined by Ministers and international energy sector leaders to call on governments to join the Global Cooling Pledge in the lead up to COP 28.

Speaking on behalf of the Government of Denmark, Dan Jørgensen, Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy, declared, “It is clear that achieving universal access to sustainable cooling requires international corporation, dedicated climate finance, and leadership from key players.” He then urged decision-makers from government, private sector and civil society to raise awareness and advocate for a global approach to sustainable cooling.

Recent record-breaking temperatures, including some exceeding 50 degrees Celsius, accentuate the need for progress on sustainable cooling for all. New data from the Chilling Prospects research series show progress is not moving quickly enough to beat the heat. Around 1.12 billion people are still at high risk due to a lack of access to cooling, a decrease of just over 20 million compared to last year. The most acute and dangerous cooling access gaps are in the poor rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa and in the growing cities in high-temperature regions of the Global South.

In these areas, people face risks to their health, safety and productivity because they can’t access the cooling they need. Bringing them cooling solutions is therefore a critical development and climate issue, because rising demand for cooling needs to be met sustainably. Currently, conventional cooling, such as air conditioning, is already responsible for over seven per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions are on a path to doubling by 2050 without stronger action.  

SEforALL is pleased to work with the Governments of India and the UAE, as well as the Cool Coalition to advance action on sustainable cooling in the run-up to COP28 and beyond. Together, we will be working to generate:

• Pro-poor, pro-rural innovation to put sustainable solutions in reach. 
• More effective financing for the productive use of energy for cooling, building on the result-based financing that works for electrification.
• Strong policy commitments from national governments on codes, standards and integrated electrification planning that includes cooling.
• Financing for data, technical support, and project implementation that can turn a commitment into results for those at highest risk due to a lack of access to cooling

During the High-Level Dialogue, Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, and Co-Chair of UN-Energy, highlighted how SEforALL is already supporting the Governments of Kenya and Ghana to mobilize investment in sustainable cooling solutions for the most vulnerable. We have also launched our second #ThisisCool youth innovation challenge, with winners to be profiled at COP 28.  

In Malawi, SEforALL ensured that the cooling, energy, and associated investments needs to guarantee vaccine cold chains for the COVID-19 response were included in the Government’s Integrated Energy Plan. And in Madagascar, we are going a step further by including vaccine and agricultural cold chains in the support provided to the Government of Madagascar to develop their Integrated Energy Plan.

“Over the next few months, SEforALL is looking forward to working with you all on the success of the Global Cooling Pledge, and subsequently support countries to implement the solutions after the Pledge,” Ogunbiyi expressed at the event in Goa.

The effects of a warming planet, insufficient action on climate change adaptation, and the growing impacts of extreme heat on human lives underline the urgency of the issue. With 2023 representing a year of opportunity for new commitments to sustainable cooling, let us use the moment to prioritize the opportunity of Cooling for All for equality of opportunity, productivity, and health of the most vulnerable.

Today at Freetown’s Ola During Children’s and Princess Christian Maternity Hospital, Dr. Austin Demby, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health and Sanitation, unveiled a new project that will electrify six hospitals with decentralized solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with batteries. 

These renewable energy systems will provide the hospitals with a reliable and less-polluting alternative to their current systems, helping improve the quality of healthcare delivery to patients. Currently, the hospitals rely on either polluting diesel generators or the main electricity grid, making them prone to power cuts that put patients’ lives at risk.   

Located in Freetown, Kambia, Masanga, Kabala and Bonthe, the hospitals will receive a combined total of more than 0.6 megawatt-peak (MWp) of installed solar PV capacity with battery storage.

They were selected following detailed energy audits at major hospitals in the country done earlier this year. That study found that more than 1,000 health facilities in Sierra Leone need either a complete power solution or a back-up solution, requiring an investment of approximately USD 64 million.

Installation of the power solutions is scheduled for July-August 2023. The project is being implemented by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) in partnership with the Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health & Sanitation, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Crown Agents and EM-ONE Energy Solutions.   

Dr. Austin Demby, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health and Sanitation, said “The Government of Sierra Leone has recognized that reliable, sufficient electricity is a critical input to healthcare services. This project shows our commitment to ensuring hospitals are better equipped to keep people safe and healthy by harnessing the power of renewable energy.”   

As an added benefit, the project was also designed to enhance employment and career opportunities for women in the local renewable energy sector. Twelve young women have already begun a specialized training programme that provides them with practical experience and classroom training on solar PV project implementation, including participating in the installation process at the hospitals.   

“By showcasing how hospitals can be equipped with renewable and reliable energy solutions in an accelerated time frame, we hope to provide a model that can be used to electrify thousands of other health facilities across Sierra Leone and beyond,” said Madhusagar Singh, Project Manager (Powering Healthcare Project), Sierra Leone, SEforALL. “These solar energy systems can bring significant benefits to the delivery of health services, saving lives and improving health outcomes.” 

Learn more about the project here.