Clean Energy

Affordable and reliable clean energy for all is essential to social and economic development, public health, and the mitigation of climate change. The activities of SEED-supported enterprises in the energy sector promote resource efficient and renewable energy solutions that equip energy-deprived communities with off-grid and low-carbon technologies. These enterprises revolutionise cooking, heating and electrification solutions through the use of innovative production, financing and distribution models – often in partnership with cooperatives, local-level micro-entrepreneurs and others.

2017 SAG-SEED Awards Ceremony for three South African Winners

Published: 11 September 2017
South Africa hosted the SAG-SEED Awards Ceremony for three South African winners on 18th August 2017 in Pretoria. Read more
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SEED Mauritius Dialogue Forum 2017

Published: 06 September 2017
The Mauritius Dialogue Forum hosted by SEED and NELIS (Next Leaders Initiative for Sustainability) was held on August 8th in Port Louis. The event brought together around 50 stakeholders from enterprises, the policy level and key support organisations. Read more
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SEED side-event at UN High-Level Political Forum 2017

Published: 10 August 2017Authors: Arab Hoballah
The HLPF 2017 SEED side event on Innovative and Eco-Inclusive Entrepreneurship showcased the role of SMEs in achieving SDGs and was held on 13 July 2017 at the UN Headquarters, New York. Read more
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Eco-inclusive enterprises lead the way to West Africa’s sustainable growth - 2017 SEED West Africa Symposium

Published: 28 July 2017
SEED West Africa Symposium 2017 was attended by more than 150 key stakeholders from government, enterprises, financial institutions, policy makers and accelerator programmes from Ghana and Burkina Faso. Read more
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No Overthinking—Replicate to multiply impacts of Clean Cookstove Enterprises

Published: 28 July 2017Authors: Ebenezer Kumi
At SEED, we have been working with a number of successful Clean Cookstove enterprises: Nishant Bioenergy, WANA Solutions, Awamu, 5 Star Stoves and Greenway Grameen Infra, to explore pathways in expanding their reach and impact beyond their locality, region or country. Read more
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Meet the 2017 SWITCH Africa Green-SEED Award Winners

Published: 13 July 2017
The 15 winners of this year’s SWITCH Africa Green -SEED Awards were  announced during the UN High Level Political Forum 2017 in New York. Read more
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Call for applications: SAG-SEED Replicator Connect Workshops in Mauritius and Uganda

Published: 20 June 2017
SEED and SWITCH-Africa Green are pleased to invite applications for our upcoming SAG-SEED Replicator Connect Workshops in Mauritius and Uganda. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Ekasi Energy

Published: 12 June 2017
Ekasi Energy produces biomass cooking fuel and clean cooking appliances for informal settlements with little or no grid power. The alternative clean energy solutions reduce health threats caused by burning wood, charcoal and paraffin fires usually used for cooking. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Lagazel

Published: 12 June 2017
Lagazel produces and markets sustainable solar lamps to light urban and rural households without access to electricity. The local production generates employment and compared to conventional light sources, the use of solar lamps contributes to climate change mitigation and healthier living conditions. Read more
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120 Key Stakeholders discuss Innovative Enterprise Solutions for an Eco-Inclusive and Climate Resilient Society in South Africa

Published: 05 May 2017
The SEED South Africa Symposium 2017 was held on April 19-20 in Pretoria and brought together a variety of stakeholders. Read more
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SAG–SEED Replicator Programme rolled-out in Ghana, South Africa, Kenya and Uganda

Published: 28 April 2017
In April 2017, eight SAG – SEED Replicator Connect Workshops were implemented in Accra, Pretoria, Nairobi, Kisumu and Kampala. Read more
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How Burkinabe entrepreneurs are shaping a greener future

Published: 10 March 2017Authors: Damien N. Somé
Have you ever heard of Burkina Faso’s “Green Brigade”? Picture teams of dozens of women regularly cleaning the streets of Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou at dawn! Many urban dwellers in the country’s capital have testified for the positive contribution of the green brigade to the cleanliness of the city. Read more
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Deadline Extension: Ghana & South Africa SAG-SEED Replicator

Published: 09 March 2017
The deadline for the Replicator in Ghana & South Africa has been extended to Thursday, 16 March! Read more
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Call for Applications for the 2017 SAG-SEED Awards

Published: 10 January 2017
SEED has opened the call for applications for 15 SWITCH Africa Green (SAG) – SEED Awards for enterprises in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa and Uganda. Read more
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Turning challenges in impact investing into prototype innovations

Published: 05 December 2016Authors: Kay Eunkyung Kang, Rainer Agster
Kenya, where our first Impact Financing Lab took place, is one of the global centres of impact investing! But even there, many challenges for deal flow exist… Read more
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Spurring the replication of eco-inclusive enterprises – towards a collaborative integrative support approach

Published: 16 November 2016Authors: Lina Frank, Mirko Zürker
At the 2016 SEED Africa Symposium in Nairobi Ligia Noronha, Director of the UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics, underlined that “Replication is a key theme to foster green growth and sustainable development”. But replication demands targeted support at every stage, which calls for collaboration between diverse support providers and a strong ecosystem. Read more
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Scaling Innovation at the Energy-Agriculture Nexus in East Africa

Published: 27 October 2016Authors: Christian Pirzer, Christine Meyer
With this year’s theme of the World Food Day on October 16th, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) chose a strong message that tackles key issues of our modern global society. Indeed, climate, energy and agriculture are all interconnected. Read more
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From innovative off-grid mobile solar power stations to the polymerised bitumen roads from recycled plastic - Meet the 2016 SEED Award Winners

Published: 28 September 2016
At SEED's largest annual international forum, the SEED Africa Symposium, SEED announced the 20 winners of the 2016 SEED Awards, today. These 20 outstanding eco-inclusive enterprises will be honoured during the international SEED Award Ceremony this evening. Read more
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Training Business Development Service Providers to Boost Eco-Inclusive Innovations

Published: 14 September 2016Authors: Rainer Agster
Working with more than 220 enterprises in 38 countries, we soon realized that although each enterprise is unique, topics are reoccurring. Instead of re-inventing the wheel each time, we put time and effort into ‘toolifying’ our support. Read more
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Scaling Innovation at the Energy-Agriculture Nexus in East Africa: A Sectoral Business Condition Brief

Published: 01 September 2016Authors: Allison Robertshaw, Amélie Heuër, Christian Pirzer, Christine Meyer, Dr. Christina Tewes-Gradl, Jona Liebl
Energy and agriculture form a nexus. On one hand, energy can be generated by using crops, agricultural residues, and livestock waste. On the other hand, substantial amounts of energy are required along the agricultural and food processing value chain, accounting for around 30 % of the global energy consumption. Read more
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From workshop to market in seven weeks

Published: 22 July 2016
The first steps as a startup are the hardest, especially for eco-inclusive startups in emerging markets. It all comes down to the right spirit and lion-hearted attitude. Read more
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The SEED Annual Report 2015

Published: 19 July 2016
2015 was a special year for SEED, in which the partnership celebrated 10 Years of SEED Awards, and took the opportunity to take stock and publish a comprehensive Flagship Report that looked not only on the success of former SEED Winners and the lessons learnt over those 10 Years of SEED Awards, but also on opportunities that could help increase the impact of locally-driven social and environmental entrepreneurship in the years to come. Read more
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SEED Annual Report 2015

Published: 07 July 2016Authors: Allison Robertshaw, Jona Liebl, Marion Müller vom Berge, Rainer Agster
2015 was also a special year for SEED, in which the partnership celebrated 10 Years of SEED Awards, and took the opportunity to take stock and publish a comprehensive Flagship Report that looked not only on the success of former SEED Winners and the lessons learnt over those 10 Years of SEED Awards, but also on opportunities that could help increase the impact of locally-driven social and environmental entrepreneurship in the years to come. This and more you will find in the Anual Report Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Magiro Hydro Electric Limited (MHEL)

Published: 05 July 2016
Magiro Hydro Electricity Limited (MHEL) uses modified bicycle parts and simple motors to generate hydropower from a local waterfall, supplying inexpensive, renewable energy to rural village residents who would otherwise use kerosene and firewood. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Sahelia Solar

Published: 05 July 2016
A leading solar company in Burkina Faso, Sahelia Solar is now starting to provide solar energy systems to off-grid agro-processing plants managed by rural cooperatives. The pay-as-you-go model provides people in rural areas with readily available, reliable, and affordable energy. Read more
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