When the grid meets the mini-grid
How grid-connected mini-grids and other distributed energy resources can strengthen weak rural grids, and how the grid affects them in return.
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Energy access in Sub-Saharan Africa
Energy in communities.
Aloe Energy works where rural power systems meet: mini-grids connecting to national grids, solar panels and batteries that deserve a second life, and the growing wave of batteries from electric vehicles. The goal is power that is affordable, reliable and wastes nothing it doesn't have to.
Our focus
Grids and mini-grids
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 creates a problem to solve, and an opportunity.
A second 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.
Read more →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
Waste is a resource
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.
Grids and mini-grids together
Rural power works best when the main grid and local systems support each other instead of competing.
Open by default
Data, methods and findings 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.