In rural Sub-Saharan Africa vital sectors of the economy such as health and agriculture face major difficulties partly due to poor access to modern energy services. In turn, underdeveloped facilities such as water resources for drinking water and small-scale irrigation to ensure food security have led to poor living conditions and limited employment opportunities. This is compounded by limited technical expertise and shortage of qualified personnel in the field. The REEP project aims to increase access to modern energy services in the West African sub-region by increasing the number of skilled professionals in the solar and bio-fuel sectors and by enhancing knowledge of key actors in the public and private sectors on renewable energy technology.

Specifically, the “Renewable Energy Education Project “ (REEP) will develop curricula and training programmes in renewable energy for field engineers and technicians, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and employees of public institutions and private enterprises.

Training solar and biofuel system professionals

REEP can count on a strong network of African and European universities: the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana, the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) in Burkina Faso, and Loughborough University in the UK.

Initially, the REEP partners will carry out a series of training sessions for 100 engineers and 200 technicians in design, installation, operation and maintenance of solar and biofuel systems in Burkina Faso and Ghana. Introducing rural technicians to the basics of bookkeeping, implementing projects in the areas of lighting for individual homes, schools, and hospitals, and demonstrating the advantages of blending biodiesel produced from vegetable oils with conventional diesel will be some of the concrete results.

Each partner institution will conduct the training courses in close collaboration with solar energy associations, rural electrification agencies and energy departments or commissions in Burkina Faso and Ghana.

Designing renewable energy curricula

The second set of activities will consist of upgrading curricula and the quality of teaching for all undergraduate and postgraduate courses that include renewable energy at West African participating institutions. The partners will review renewable energy modules for inclusion in the course syllabi and propose faculty members who will teach the proposed modules. As a result, over 100 undergraduate and 20 postgraduate students will gain knowledge in renewable energy technologies such as solar PV lighting and water heating systems, and biomass conversion devices.

Another important part of the project will be the design of a distance learning Master’s programme in renewable energy for employees of public and private institutions across the West African sub-region. Here, entrepreneurs and policy makers (from the Ministries of Energy, Agriculture, local government, etc) will have the opportunity to learn about subjects such as solar energy conversion, energy efficiency or hydropower technology. This will lead to the creation of high calibre manpower for sustainable development and efficient utilisation of renewable energy sources in Burkina Faso and Ghana.

Alleviating poverty through expanded access to energy

Thanks to REEP, hundreds of practicing engineers and technicians, students and professional staff in public and private sector organizations throughout the West African sub-region will gain deeper insight into renewable energy technology. More significantly, they will in turn be able to transfer this knowledge to their colleagues. Such a knowledge network will provide the environment conducive to help harness the comparative advantage in renewable energy resources of the region that receives the highest direct solar radiation in the world.

As a result, skilled field technicians and private solar and biofuel enterprises will provide increased access to modern energy services for poor women, men and children across the region. In addition, public policy institutions will establish the enabling environment for wide-scale diffusion of renewable energy technologies in both rural and urban areas, stronger policy commitment and enhanced public and private investment.