SteamaCo – International Gold Award and Ashden Award for Business Innovation
“Lake Victoria’s fishing villages and other rural communities in Kenya are benefiting from clean light and power for the first time, thanks to renewable energy micro-grids. Using the natural energy of the sun, they work like mini power stations for each village, supplying enough energy to run small businesses, as well as power TVs, radios and bright lights in the home.
Solar power in East Africa is not new, but what’s exciting about SteamaCo is the technology behind it: the micro-grids use an innovative cloud-based remote metering and payments system that monitors energy use, lets people pay for power using their mobile phones, and quickly troubleshoots any problems. With around 80% of Kenyans lacking access to mains electricity, SteamaCo is helping to bring the benefits of clean energy to increasing numbers of off-grid customers.”
BURN Manufacturing – Ashden Award for Clean Energy for Women and Girls
“BURN Manufacturing is helping improve the lives of women and girls in East Africa with its efficient charcoal-burning Jikokoa™ stove and employment opportunities. The stove itself represents a step-change in the design and efficiency of charcoal-burning cook stoves, dramatically improving the health and wellbeing of its users.”
EcoCasa – Ashden Award for Sustainable Buildings
“By unlocking financing to build low-carbon social housing, EcoCasa stands to help transform Mexico’s social housing sector. Developers must build social housing with at least 20% lower carbon emissions than standard designs, without increasing the sale price. Carbon savings are achieved through a range of energy-saving measures like insulation, window shades and solar water heaters, with SHF checking designs and construction quality. With nearly 12,000 homes already sold or under construction, there’s funding for up to 27,600 homes.”