Friday 25 February 2022

East Africa’s first agrivoltaic farm

The first agrivoltaics system in East Africa has opened in Isinya, Kenya – powering local agriculture and rainwater harvesting all using clean energy.

The project is a combined effort from the Universities of Sheffield, York, Teesside, the Stockholm Environment Institute, Centre for Research in Energy and Energy and Energy Conservation and the African Centre for Technology Studies.

Funded by UKRI, it looks to tackle a common issue on that part of the continent; in East Africa 55% of people don’t have access to reliable electricity and this project looks to find a clean answer to this problem.

Agrivoltaic systems thrive in high temperatures and areas of high light intensity and can improve the productivity and yield of crops, whilst also producing excess energy.

To learn more about these systems and how they are put into action, you can listen to our Net Hero Podcast, featuring an agrivoltaic farm in the United States.

Project lead, Professor Sue Hartley from the University of Sheffield, said: “This project is an excellent example of how ground-breaking interdisciplinary research can deliver really significant benefits to communities.

“It's really exciting to see this research being showcased in Kenya.”