An innovative project led by the University of Strathclyde that will help communities in Malawi to address their energy needs has been awarded £1.7million from the Scottish Government.
The Malawi Renewable Energy Acceleration Programme aims to reduce poverty and tackle climate change and will empower disadvantaged communities to develop their renewable energy projects, providing access to more reliable electricity for rural towns and villages.
By providing research technology, collaboration, educational/training support and entrepreneurship, Strathclyde will work with the people of Malawi to develop renewable energy capabilities and climate change policies – putting Malawi on the path to ‘green growth’.
In addition, the programme will provide support at an institutional level in Malawi to support the formation of policies, including Government policies, for renewable and community energy projects.
Professor Graham Ault, of the University’s Faculty of Engineering, said: “In Scotland we experience the benefits of secure local energy supplies of different forms and our daily activities in areas such as industry, commerce, education, health care and our homes are enriched in many ways by these supplies of energy. The situation in Malawi is, of course, very different and that nation’s economic development is held back by inadequate access to sustainable sources of energy.
“This new Renewable Energy Acceleration Programme will create several new Scotland-Malawi partnerships to develop the capability of Malawian organisations and communities to harness their renewable energy resources and reap the economic and social benefits of that.
“At the University of Strathclyde, we are excited by this new opportunity and look forward to working with all the project partners to do the necessary ground work, develop pilot projects and deliver real changes to the energy prospects of Malawi.”
Announcing the funding from Scotland’s International Development Fund, Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, said: “Scotland’s commitment and expertise in the areas of both renewable energy and climate change are an important element of Scotland’s contribution to the world.
“In this programme these have been allied to Scotland’s focus on projects to help the poorest people in Malawi. We are working hard to help Malawians help themselves – with the additional global benefit of tackling climate change which benefits us all. The people of our two countries have a special and historical relationship, so it is apt that it is the communities of rural Malawi who are benefitting from this innovative initiative.
“The Scottish Government remains committed to helping the people of Malawi, and Strathclyde University’s programme will offer advice and support to help them extend renewable energy provision and reliable electricity.”
This innovative programme will build on a previous successful Community Rural Electrification and Development project between Scotland and Malawi, also led by the University of Strathclyde. That project provided seven solar energy systems in schools and health posts, as well as in eight teachers’ houses. In one school, this allowed 180 students to continue their studies further into the evening, using solar powered lighting.
Community groups and village health workers also benefited from the new solar lighting systems. The project enabled rural communities to maintain valuable lifelines. Mobile phone charging would have previously involved lengthy trips to a main market or shopping area in a town but new mobile phone charging schemes have proved highly successful with two schools in remote Chikwawa.
Partners to Strathclyde University in Scotland include:
- Community Energy Scotland
- IOD PARC and Sgurr Energy
Partners in Malawi include:
- The Department for Energy Affairs
- University of Malawi Polytechnic
- Mzuzu University
- Concert Universal
- Opportunity International Bank of Malawi
- Mulanje Renewable Energy