Today, across the world, from grassroots communities and policy positions to boardrooms, from research to activism, women everywhere are using their voices to take leadership and call for action for a sustainable future. Recognition of the impact of energy access on women is growing and nowhere is this shift more evident than in Africa and Asia.
Currently, renewable energy employs about 32% women, compared to 22% in the energy sector overall according to a 2019 report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Women are emerging not only as consumers of a new wave of innovative energy access products and services but also as leading entrepreneurs and leaders shaping the industry. They hold tremendous untapped potential to expand the adoption of distributed energy solutions around the world. The United Nations set this year’s International Women’s Day theme as, “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world,” to celebrate the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future.
To honor women at the forefront of scaling energy access, we requested our partners to share profiles of women who are working to end energy poverty, yet are unknown to the outside world. Over 100 organizations and companies from 26 countries got back to us with nominations ranging from engineers, indigenous leaders, financiers, changemakers, entrepreneurs, trainers, among others.
Narrowing the list was not easy, but we hope this list of unsung women heroes will inspire you to believe in the power of women to lead us swiftly toward the new green economy the world so urgently needs. We know there are countless more women being the change they want to see in the world.
21 women heroes working to end energy poverty
- Strengthening access to finance in the distributed energy sector
- Five women bringing off-grid solar solutions to last mile communities
- Two women leaders in renewable transformation
- Five incredible women advancing technology and innovation in renewable energy sector
- Meet two inspirational women entrepreneurs in energy access
- Meet four change-makers pushing for clean cooking
- Strengthening gender equality and women's leadership in mini‐grid projects
Strengthening access to finance in the distributed energy sector
Angela Homsi
Co-founder & Director, Ignite Power - Rwanda www.ignite.solar
Angela is the co-founder of Ignite Power, the fastest-growing pan-African developer and financier of solar-based projects, connecting last-mile communities across sub-Saharan Africa to clean, sustainable, and affordable solar-based solutions including solar-home-systems, clean cooking stoves, solar irrigation pumps, and more. The company has already connected over 1.5 million people and is expected to connect a million more in 2022. Throughout her career, Angela has invested in developed and emerging economies with a sustainability overlay, in cleantech, base of the pyramids innovative solutions, waterTech, agriTech and resource scarcity related, MedTech, nutrition and smart logistics.
Today, Angela focuses on sustainable impact investments in emerging economies, with a particular focus on Africa and the Middle East, through Ignite & Angaza. She is also Chair of YPO Rwanda Angel Club & chair of the YPO Global Diplomacy network, an investment committee member for Microvest, a fund which portfolios companies served 4.9 million MSMEs and was Toniic leader for East Africa. In her non-for-profit work, Angela is is the chair of Seeds of Peace Global Council and was a founding board member of the Negotiations Strategies Institutes. She is also a lecturer in multiple universities and institutions globally on conflict resolution, development finance and mainstreaming impact investing and community bridging through business and leadership.
Audrey Desiderato
Co-founder and COO, SunFunder - Kenya Sunfunder.com
Audrey is the co-founder and COO of SunFunder, a pioneer lender for off-grid solar. In 2009, Audrey was the first LaRocco Fellow at E+Co, and was introduced to the many challenges energy enterprises face in access to finance, specifically debt. Those challenges for enterprises to deliver energy to the unserved stayed with her and in 2012, Audrey co-founded a business dedicated to solving that critical challenge: SunFunder was born. Over the last 9 years, Audrey has worked tirelessly to raise funds, innovate on lending products and processes and increase the access to debt for energy small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
Audrey is quite sensitive to bringing others along with her, fostering women's networks, bringing colleagues from the energy and investment worlds together, as well as growing women in the ranks of SunFunder. This innovative financial company has received numerous well-deserved recognition, including an Ashden Award. For her leadership, commitment, and passion for energy access, Audrey is one woman leading the operations and continuing innovations of a critical player in the energy access finance community and our ability to achieve SDG7.
Audrey holds a Master’s degree in International Energy Management & Policy from Columbia University's School of International Affairs, a Master's degree in Environment and Sustainable Development from Sciences Po Paris, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Sciences from UCLA.
Five women bringing off-grid solar solutions to last mile communities
Sujatha Ramani
CEO, Pollinate Group - India www.pollinategroup.org
As CEO of Pollinate Group, Sujatha's main role is to amplify Pollinate Group’s existing impact and focus on building a sustainable business model for growth. Pollinate Group identifies and trains women as agents of change who sell off-grid solar solutions such solar home systems to the hardest to reach communities in India and Nepal. To date, Pollinate Group has empowered over 800 women to bring clean energy access to over 668,000 people living on less than $1.90 a day in India and Nepal. In doing so, Pollinate Group has enabled people from neglected communities to have access to solar energy for the first time, and save over $23 million USD and over 60,000 tonnes of Co2 emissions from the replacement of hazardous sources of fuel and lighting with clean energy. Pollinate has also provided vital entrepreneurial and life skills to women from these communities who have been able to increase their confidence, become financially independent, contribute to decision-making in their households and lift their families and communities out of poverty.
Under Sujatha's leadership, Pollinate Group was able to respond quickly to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our women entrepreneurs and their communities. While driving the economic growth for women, she is also committed to bridging the digital divide and initiated and oversaw the development of an online learning management platform to enable women entrepreneurs to continue to access training and learning despite the pandemic. She also initiated and oversaw the development of a mobile application to enable entrepreneurs to continue to make sales to their customers safely during the pandemic and beyond. These processes and systems have positioned Pollinate Group to be able to successfully scale and achieve its long-term goals to reach 10,000 women entrepreneurs and 10 million customers by 2025.
Nthabiseng Mosia
Co-founder & Director of Customer Experience, Easy Solar - Sierra Leone Easysolar.sl
Nthabiseng is leading one of the fastest-growing energy access distribution companies in Africa, in truly one of the hardest markets in the world that has trudged on through civil wars and Ebola crisis - Sierra Leone. Passionate about crafting solutions at the nexus of energy, fin-tech, and development, Nthabiseng co-founded Easy Solar in 2015, an award-winning, leading social enterprise in West Africa, making energy and financial services affordable and accessible.
Today, Easy Solar remains at the forefront with its products, employing over 500 full-time staff and agents and powering more than 40,000 households and shops in 15 out of 16 districts, where consumers can access a range of services and products – including lanterns, home lighting systems, and appliances, as well as recently introduced fuel-efficient cookstoves.
Nthabiseng is a sought-after global speaker and thought leader. She has taken center stage at the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All, Skoll World Forum, and the Forbes Under 30 MeetUp Africa. She holds a Masters in Energy from Columbia University, and a BSc in Finance from the University of Cape Town, both with distinction.
Adiaratou Ba
President, The Federation of Women’s Groups GIE Nafforé - Senegal
Adiaratou is the President of the Federation of Women’s Groups GIE Nafforé, active in the transformation of local cereals, fruits and vegetables in the Tambacounda Region of Senegal. She is also engaged in microfinance and child protection. Last year, with the support of Little Sun, Adiaratou took up the distribution of solar lamps in her community after witnessing the positive impact they had on children’s education and household savings.
Since then, Adiaratou has patiently and persistently sold close to 400 lamps, positively impacting the lives of more than 3000 people. Interestingly, Adiaratou sometimes gets around the lack of liquidity of her clients by trading solar lamps against bags of maize, which she then mills and transforms into enriched infant flour – a win-win situation.
Adepeju Adebajo
CEO, Lumos - Nigeria www.lumos.com.ng
Adepeju is a seasoned CEO, with over 30 years of experience across different sectors including agriculture and renewable energy. At Lumos Nigeria, she leads an innovation-driven team with a commitment to provide solar-powered solutions to 1 million Nigerian households and small businesses by 2025. Adepeju Adebajo is an Advisory Board member of the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN), and is active in gender-based organizations to increase female participation in the public and private sector.
In the past year, for example, despite the pandemic, economic recession and some social unrest, the Lumos Nigeria team gave 20% more people access to electricity, and supported public Primary Health Care centres with Solar Home Systems across the country. The company launched two new products, introduced new payment platforms to improve reach, and grew new direct to market sales channels, enabling reach into rural areas and the hinterland.
Lumos is evolving a performance based, yet inclusive culture and building a sustainable organisation with depth and breadth, and building collaborations with partners and stakeholders. Lumos is at the forefront of the Federal Government’s ambitious plan to deploy 5m SHS by 2023, increasing electrification rates, creating jobs and increasing local content. Under Adepeju’s leadership, Lumos plans to launch a solar panel assembly by end of 2021.
Sharon Yeti
Founder & CEO, Powerlive Zimbabwe, www.powerlive.co.zw
Sharon is the CEO for Powerlive Zimbabwe, a leading energy provider generating clean, safe and sustainable energy solutions to women and their communities in Zimbabwe. Her ambition is to make women’s lives better and empower them in the smallest way possible through renewable resources. Sharon believes that access to energy services can improve women’s health and well-being thereby supporting the achievement of SDG 5 on gender equality and SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy in line with the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.
Powerlive has sold, distributed and installed over 3500 solar home systems to the off grid and marginalized communities of Zimbabwe. Powerlive's mission is to end energy poverty with a gender lens as it's empowering women living in the rural communities. 85% of the sales agents and 40% of the technicians at Powerlive are women.
Two women leaders in renewable transformation
Ujunwa Ojemeni
Founder & President, AWEDI Network - Nigeria www.awedinetwork.com
Ujunwa is the founder of the African Women in Energy Development Initiative (AWEDI Network) focused on promoting the growth of women in the sector through mentorship programs, career sponsorship (acceleration), networking opportunities, professional development, and leadership training for women at all stages of their energy careers and for female students at the secondary and tertiary levels. Ujunwa has received several awards for her phenomenal work in the energy sector including the 2019 Young Leaders Award in the Energy and Sustainability category by the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni Association in Nigeria.
At the Office of the Honourable Commissioner for Energy & Mineral Resources Lagos State, Ujunwa drives energy transition policies, investment opportunities, and implementation strategies to deliver reliable energy to the citizens of the State. She is also an Advisor with the Private Finance Advisory Network (PFAN) – the multilateral, public-private partnership initiated hosted by United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) focused on bridging the investment gap between investors and entrepreneurs and project developers by facilitating investment into promising green energy and climate change projects.
In 219, Ujunwa was selected as one of 60 young African Clean Energy Leaders by Enel Foundation, and a finalist at the IFC Sustainability Exchange Contest. In 2020, she was nominated and emerged winner the 2020 Energy leader by the Energy Institute and emerged a finalist - Energy Executive (creating a new future for Energy) by the GRITS Awards 2020. In 2020, she was also appointed to the Advisory Board of the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN). She holds a Master’s degree in International Development – Development Finance from the University of Manchester and has a First-Class Bachelor’s of Science degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Anita Otubu
Heads the Programme Management Unit, Rural Electrification Agency - Nigeria www.rea.gov.ng
As a qualified lawyer and a certified project manager, Anita currently heads the Programme Management Unit of the Nigerian Electrification Project (NEP), which aims to accelerate the private market for the development of mini-grids and captive power plants as well as for the deployment of solar home systems for unserved and underserved homes, enterprises, educational and healthcare institutions. Anita was part of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) management team that secured $350 million and $200 million loan facilities for the NEP’s implementation, from the World Bank and the African Development Bank respectively.
With over 10 years of professional experience in sectors including electric power, oil and gas, and climate change, Anita's professional journey has allowed her to make an impact in different capacities at different times. She was previously the Head of Special Projects in the REA, providing programme management services to the development and implementation of the Energizing Education Programme (with 3 commissioned/operational and 4 completed captive solar hybrid power plants ranging from 1MW to 8MW of total installed capacity, in Federal Universities across Nigeria). She Is also a former member of the Advisory Power Team (APT) in the Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a Technical Assistant (Legal) to a Minister of Power and my services have also been engaged by the National Assembly, Transmission Company of Nigeria, British Petroleum (West Africa), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Federal Ministry of Environment, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and Kaduna State Government (FRN) to name a few.
She is also currently a Non-Executive Board Member of Chanja Datti Recycling company and co-heads the 'NetBellas' (Abuja Netball team).
Five incredible women advancing technology and innovation in renewable energy sector
Gurmet Angmo
Engineer, Global Himalayan Expedition - India www.ghe.co.in
Gurmet is a solar engineer working with the Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE), “a for-profit enterprise dedicated to the development of remote Himalayan communities through sustainable tourism and technology.” Despite not finishing high school, Gurmet has been involved in electrifying over 50 villages in Ladakh and Meghalaya in India with solar power. GHE is among the first organizations in the world to use tourism and technology to bring solar energy to remote communities.
Founded by electrical engineer Paras Loomba in 2013, the for-profit entity conducts what they call ‘Impact Expeditions’ to remote Himalayan villages, for which they charge a ‘per-head’ fee. The enterprise uses “a portion of the expedition fee to fund the capital cost of the hardware, transportation, installation and training of village-scale solar micro-grids. The micro-grid infrastructure set up by GHE is owned and operated by the community,” according to United Nations Climate Change. It won the 2020 UN Global Climate Change Action Award.
Aziza Sultana Mukti
Head of Operations, SOLshare - Bangladesh www.me-solshare.com
Mukti is the head of operations of SOLshare, the world’s first ICT-enabled peer-to-peer electricity trading network for rural households. Prior to joining SOLshare she was part of the management team of BRAC's Aarong for over a decade, one of the most successful social enterprises in the world. During her time there she was selected as the BRAC values award winner. Having mastered a range of extra training programs on leadership, gender awareness and analysis, strategic decision making, as well as monitoring and evaluation (M&E), Mukti co-developed the smart entrepreneurship approach at SOLshare with an emphasis on its female end-users.
As the head of operations, she leads the field operations, sales, aftersales, customer-relations, and production unit and has played a major role in establishing SOLshare in the local energy market in Bangladesh. Through her strategic leadership, SOLshare currently has 49 operational peer-to-peer solar microgrids in remote rural off-grid communities across Bangladesh serving over 4,000 beneficiaries.
Iris Leck
Solar technician, LOVE FOR LIFE / ADITICA - Costa Rica, https://loveforlifeproject.org/imagine-light
Iris is an indigenous solar technician from Talamanca rainforest, Costa Rica. She has been doing outstanding work by contributing to solar electrifying more than 150 households from last mile Indigenous families. Iris has walked through the density of rainforest mountains carrying materials, tools and food to create sustainable and clean energy access. A deep-rooted commitment to serve and passion for life drives her inner strength to keep going even when the outside forces try to stop her.
Iris has learned not only about electrical components, system configuration, data collection and project logistics, but also about their own and other Indigenous cultures and ancestral knowledge. Given the often traditional gendered divisions of labor and the role of women, Iris, as an indigenous solar technician, is an example of women empowerment in the region.
Anne Wacera Wambugu
Electrical engineer, Strathmore University Energy Research Centre (SERC) https://serc.strathmore.edu/
Anne Wacera Wambugu is an electrical engineer with 5+ years’ experience in the energy access sector, with a main focus on electricity access using renewable energy technologies. She is the manager of an engineering team, a certified solar photovoltaics trainer and researcher. Her work involves standardization and conformity assessment of electrical energy systems including DC systems such as solar photovoltaics, and electrical appliances.
Through her work on quality assurance, Anne is at the forefront of the war against substandard and counterfeit solar products. An influx of substandard solar products in the Kenyan market hampers efforts to increase the penetration of renewable energy. Early product failures are a financial burden on consumers and lead to a loss of trust in brands and standard marks, thus crippling the industry.
In addition to her work at SERC, Anne is a member of KEBS Electrotechnical Technical Committees (TC) through the Kenya National Committee for the International Electrotechnical Commission, and TC 92 on Solar and Wind. She is also Kenya’s representative to the African Standardization Electrotechnical Commission (AFSEC) TC on Solar, as well as the acting chair for the AFSEC Young Professionals and Gender Programme. Anne is a member of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Systems Committee for Low Voltage Direct Current. In 2018, Anne was named an IEC Young Professional, representing Kenya in the global programme dedicated to upcoming electrotechnology experts and leaders around the world.
Eunice Ntobedzi
CEO, African Sun Energy (PTY) - Botswana www.africansunenergy.com
Eunice Ntobedzi is the innovator of EmPowered FinTech API/Service and the CEO of African Sun Energy Botswana, an energy service company developing decentralized off grid community scale Solar PV Energy Hubs in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Botswana Innovation Ambassador and nominated by President Obama for GIST in 2015 for her work on Energy Poverty and FinTech, Eunice was awarded a prestigious Chevening Scholarship in 2015/16 to further her work in the FinTech and Energy and received her MSc in Management with Enterprise & Business Growth at the Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow. Eunice was offered a nomination for a UK Exceptional Talent Visa in 2016 by the University of Glasgow to encourage her to stay in the UK following completion of her MSc studies on the condition she established her FinTech/ Energy business in Scotland. She declined and returned to Botswana in August 2016 to continue her work in the SADC region.
She was awarded a special public service award in 2016 by Unity Dow, Minister of Education and Skills Development, Government of Botswana for her work in 2015/16 in bringing Solar PV power to 20 remote rural schools in Botswana. She has employed women electrical engineers to support the development of projects in Botswana and as part of the proof of concept project for the solar PV Community energy hub project. Eunice has promoted the opportunity of two Solar Apprenticeships targeted at women.
Meet two inspirational women entrepreneurs in energy access
Sita Adhikari
Founder & CEO, Kalpavriksha Gr - Nepal kalpavriksha.com.np
Sita Adhikari is an entrepreneur from Chitwan, Nepal who has over 20 years’ experience working in women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment sectors. Prior to founding Kalpavriksha, Sita was a founder and president of the Jhuwani Women’s Savings and Credit Cooperative, a founder of the Women’s and Children’s Section of the Jhuwani Community Library and the founder of Kalpavriksha.
Sita founded the social enterprise Kalpavriksha to extend opportunities to women around Nepal. Under her successful leadership, Kalpavriksha has successfully identified, trained and empowered over 300 marginalised, rural women to become entrepreneurs across 11 Districts of Nepal. These women have sold clean energy products (clean cookstoves, solar lights) and other life-improving household products to tens of thousands of community members in rural Nepal, enabling them to save money, save time and improve their health. Kalpavriksha is the currently the only organisation working in Nepal to provide clean energy access to marginalised rural communities through a women's empowerment model of entrepreneurship.
Sita and Kalpavriksha have been recognised for their ground-breaking work both in Nepal and internationally through receiving the 2019 WoW Women Achievers Award, the 2017 Ashden Award, the 2017 Hogan Lovells Community Solar Innovation Award. Sita was also a Fellow as part of the Acumen 2020 Fellows intake in India.
Awa Sene
Entrepreneur - Senegal
Awa is an entrepreneur from Khassid, south west Senegal. A couple of years ago with Energy 4 Impact support, Awa launched the first solar powered cold chain in her village, selling both refrigerated and fresh food and drinks, (pulped fruit & juices and yogurt mainly but also ice and bottled drinks). Awa targets rural schools in order to enhance consumption of healthy and vitamin-rich foods but she also serves a number of off-grid villages. Her strong personality and leadership skills led her to become the spokesperson for women entrepreneurs in her region and participated in several workshops and networking events at the national level.
In 2019, Awa was named Best Entrepreneur of the Year at the Fatick Solar Energy Forum, where she had the opportunity to talk about her journey and the challenges she had to overcome as a female entrepreneur.
Meet four change-makers pushing for clean cooking
Agnes Kalyonge
Founder & CEO, Jikoni Magic - Kenya www.jikonimagic.com
Agnes creates awareness about energy efficient and affordable clean cooking solutions, specifically the electric pressure cookers (EPCs). A high percentage of Kenyan households use charcoal or firewood to boil and cook food which is harmful to their health, time consuming and expensive. Agnes is on a mission to change the perceived narrative that biomass fuel (charcoal and firewood) is the only efficient means of cooking. Agnes has made a name for herself in the clean cooking sector and uses her online media platform to create awareness about EPCs.
Through her YouTube channel and Instagram page, Agnes shares her recipes, encourages people to embrace and adopt EPCs by showcasing their versatility. To date, Agnes has sold more than 700 EPCs. She is passionate about improving the health of women and children who spend time using solid fuels while inhaling the dangerous fumes.
Kalinda Magloire
CEO, SWITCH Haiti
Kalinda leads SWITCH, an enterprise with social impact determined to massively convert Haitian households from charcoal to LPG. Under Magloire’s leadership, SWITCH has helped transition nearly 400 schools, 1,000 food vendors, and over 2,000 families away from burning inefficient and polluting fuels like wood and charcoal to using liquified petroleum gas (LPG). In addition to manufacturing and distributing stoves, SWITCH has developed different financial models allowing low-income households to switch to cleaner energy.
Magloire, a finalist for the Clean Cooking Alliance’s 2019 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award, is involved with different organizations working for women empowerment. Magloire has previously partnered with World Central Kitchen, USAID, and the World Food Program, and was selected to join the Global Entrepreneurship Summit hosted by President Barack Obama in 2016. Kalinda has a master’s in political science from the University of Montreal and a master’s in International development management from the London School of Economics.
Neha Juneja
Co-founder and CEO, Greenway Appliances - India https://www.greenwayappliances.com/
Neha is the co-founder and CEO of Greenway Appliances, India's largest manufacturer of biomass cookstoves, which are designed with patented, air regulation technology. Named by the Clean Cooking Alliance as the 2019 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year, Neha has grown Greenway into the biggest clean cooking enterprise in India. Under her leadership over the last eight years, Greenway has evolved from a bootstrapped team of three personnel to a large operation with over 110 employees across India, selling nearly one million stoves and generating approximately $12 million in revenues. Today, Greenway’s efforts encompass a full value chain of activities, ranging from design and manufacturing, to sales and consumer finance. In addition to her roles as Founder and CEO, Juneja also serves as a mentor, educator, and role model for women in her community, particularly rising women entrepreneurs.
Neha is an Industrial Engineer and holds an M.B.A. She was recognized as one of India’s most powerful women in business by Business Today & Economic Times. She was also awarded the Elle Impact Award in 2016, the L’Oreal Award for Science & Innovation, and the Businessworld Young Entrepreneur. She is also a 2013 Echoing Green Fellow.
Charlot Magayi
Founder & CEO, Mukuru Stoves - Kenya https://mukurustoves.org/
Life for a young girl orphaned at the age of 10 years growing up in Mukuru Kwa Njenga slums, one of the biggest slums in Nairobi (Kenya’s capital city) was tough, risky and unbearable. By sixteen Charlot was a teenage mom and her journey got even harder from there. She had to drop out of school to figure out a way to fend for herself and her daughter. Her first job was selling charcoal within the slum community and it was the only fuel she could afford. She kept suffering from respiratory tract infections and when her daughter turned two she suffered a severe burn injury from a traditional stove.
After a two year break from school, she was finally able to save enough for tuition and she enrolled in an adult school – which opened her eyes to the health hazards caused by charcoal and other harmful solid fuels. An enthusiast of science and social studies, she wanted to inspire fellow women to lead the fight against household air pollution in Africa.
She founded Mukuru Clean Stoves; a social enterprise that produces clean, affordable and reliable cook stoves targeting under-served markets to help mothers keep their children safe, save on fuel consumption and reduce household air pollution. In 2018, the World Bank’s global SDGs and Her Competition recognized her effort to advance SDG1 (No Poverty), SDG3 (Good Health), and SDG8 (Decent Work). Most recently, Charlot was selected as a Waislitz Global Citizen Awardee for her innovative work expanding access to clean stoves in Mukuru, Kenya. Today, the social enterprise has sold over 40,000 clean cooking stoves, and has impacted the lives of over 20,000 people.
Strengthening gender equality and women's leadership in mini‐grid projects
Mukabanji Mutanuka
Country manager, ENGIE Power Corner - Zambia https://engie-powercorner.com/en/
Mukabanji Mutanuka is a renewable energy and development economist with extensive experience in the offgrid energy field. Based in Lusaka Zambia, Mukabanji is responsible for Coordinating the Business and Commercial activities of ENGIE PowerCorner smart mini grid innovation across Zambia. Under her leadership, Mukabanji has been able to spearhead the operation and commercialization of a smart solar minigrid in Chitandika that has been able to connect households, institutions and productive users.
Prior to her current role at ENGIE, Mukabanji was responsible for the technical, financial and environmental design and development of off grid innovations in Zambia under the White House Led initiative - Power Africa Off Grid Energy Challenge, where she had direct oversight of development and risk management of a solar micro grid, micro-hybrid systems and distribution of solar home systems.
Mukabanji has recently assisted in consultancy work in the offgrid sector under the European Union and is a board member of Zambia Renewable Energy Association (ZARENA), a member of Solar Industry Association of Zambia (SIAZ) and an administrator of the Association of Power Companies (APC). Mukabanji strongly believes in the power of integrated energy policy frameworks and off grid innovations as a means to revolutionize access for the majority of rural communities.
Barani Aung
Managing Director, Techno-Hill Engineering - Myanmar www.techno-hill.com
Barani is the Managing Director of Techno-Hill Engineering, one of the foremost locally-run private mini-grid developers in Myanmar. To date, her company has developed 20 mini-grids in remote and rural villages and, in doing so, connected more than 30,000 people to reliable, affordable electricity for the first time.
Barani was awarded the "Best Business Plan" award as part of Smart Power Myanmar Mini-Grid Accelerator Program, and has taken advantage of innovative financing facilities for project development and is regularly consulted as an expert on Myanmar's mini-grid sector.