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World's first mobile power grid and business ecosystem to support it

Project description

Generating off-grid opportunities in rural Sub-Sahara

The majority of the Sub-Saharan African population does not enjoy satisfactory access to energy. This is mainly due to the high cost of electricity, as well as the lack of energy infrastructures. The EU-funded PAWA project is developing technology fit for micro-business – an off-grid power generator that requires a low-cost investment. The target group is rural populations representing a market of 600 million people. The project will work on further cost reduction, extending its market in Kenya as well as expanding its presence in other Sub-Saharan countries.

Objective

68% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa currently live with very limited access to energy. In these unserved areas, electricity is expensive and difficult to access. Decentralized power generation projects (based on renewable energies) could be the key to unlocking the electrification challenge. These projects, however, have yet to develop business models that are genuinely sustainable over the long term. The most feasible technology, based on solar power is facing limited spread. Solar panels are not often available; they are too costly, fixed to a location or impractical to move and require maintenance.

Pawa Technologies mission is to create the world’s first off-grid power eco-system turning people into power consumers, traders and producers - as a business, not by aid. Pawa is marketed towards people living in rural communities without access to the electric grid. Sub-Saharan Africa is a 600 million people market representing a €60 billion turnover. Pawa gives our target end users, the option to become power producers and sell excess power. For just a simple mobile phone charging micro-business, Pawa cost is recovered in less than 6 months and afterwards generates a steady income to the business owner, while granting savings in phone charges to their own neighbours.

Pawa Technologies is a dynamic start-up backed by Moonwalk, an incubation company with over 10 companies in its portfolio, devoted to address social and sustainability challenges. Moonwalk companies have created 23 jobs in 2 years and are growing in 3 continents. In June 2016, Pawa entered the market place to pilot the Pawa prototypes. Kenyan customers pre-bought over 350 Pawa Introductory packages in less than 5 Hours. Currently, Pawa Package version 4 has entered trial production.
At this point, we are situated to conduct product optimization that will reduce the cost, extend market presence in Kenya and penetrate additional countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020

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Coordinator

PAWA TECHNOLOGIES AS
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 50 000,00
Address
TORGGATA 15
0181 OSLO
Norway

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Norge Oslo og Viken Oslo
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 71 429,00
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