Grids and planning
When the grid meets the mini-grid
How grid-ready mini-grids and distributed energy can strengthen weak rural grids, backed by GIS mapping, demand estimates and least-cost energy planning.
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Energy access at the grid edge
Grows where the grid hasn’t.
Aloe Energy is a not-for-profit initiative working where rural power systems meet: mini-grids planned as future parts of the national grid, solar panels and batteries with more than one life, and the batteries arriving with electric vehicles.
Our focus
Grids and planning
Waste to Wealth
E-mobility
Three connected areas of work
Rural electrification is changing fast. Grids are reaching places mini-grids already serve, solar equipment is starting to retire, and vehicles are going electric. Each change brings a problem to solve, and an opportunity.
Grids and planning
Waste to Wealth
More than one life for solar and batteries
Testing, repairing and repurposing retired solar panels and batteries, so useful equipment powers homes and businesses instead of filling landfills.
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E-mobility
Following the battery's whole life
Electric motorbikes, buses and cars are arriving across Africa. We look at their batteries from first use, to second-life storage, to recycling.
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Where it started
What a pile of old batteries can still do
Aloe Energy grew out of master's research on worn-out Toyota Prius batteries in Fiji. That pilot is finished, but it proved the idea behind everything we do now: retired equipment often has plenty of useful life left.
~15,000spent Prius batteries estimated in Fiji warehouses and landfills (Field Ready, 2021)
62used battery modules donated and tested in the lab
47of them still good enough to reuse
15.4 Aha day per home from the rebuilt packs, enough for lights, fans and phone charging
How we work
What we believe
Power first, grid next
Every mini-grid is a future piece of the grid. We plan for interconnection and handover from day one.
More than one life
Batteries and solar panels often retire with years of useful life left. Reuse them first, recycle them last.
Local hands, local value
Testing, repair and upkeep can be local jobs. The value of the work should stay in the community.
Open by default
Maps, data and methods are shared so others can check them, use them and make them better.
Get involved
Want to support this work?
We are not taking online donations yet. If you would like to help with funding, equipment, data or partnership, get in touch directly.