The US African Development Foundation (USADF) is partnering with electric services and capital company General Electric (GE) Africa to launch the Power Africa Off-Grid Energy Challenge (Power Africa Challenge).

The three-year $2-million challenge will award at least 20 grants of up to $100 000 each to African organisations providing off-grid solutions that deploy renewable resources and provide power for economic activities.

The challenge will benefit rural and urban populations that are underserved by existing utility companies. The USADF is a public corporation of the US federal government that funds African enterprises, cooperatives and community-based organisations to build capacity and expand economic activities.

According to GE Africa, the Power Africa Challenge will promote innovative solutions that further develop, scale up or extend the use of proven technologies for off-grid energy.

African-owned and -operated businesses and organisations that are developing their own technologies or acquiring and installing technology developed elsewhere are eligible to apply for a grant.

US government agencies and private corporations are working in collaboration with the US-led Power Africa Challenge initiative to drive growth by increasing access to reliable, affordable and sustainable power and by helping to ensure the responsible, transparent and effective management of energy resources.

The USADF and GE Africa will support initiatives that provide off-grid energy for rural and urban regions currently lacking energy access, that expand markets, test inno- vations and leverage financing to increase the delivery of off-grid energy to marginalised populations. Those that introduce innovative payment or collection methods that can extend the reach of power delivery will also be supported.

“GE Africa supports Africa’s efforts to resolve the challenge of insufficient and incon- sistent power supply,” says GE Africa president and CE Jay Ireland. He notes that the Power Africa Challenge would tap into expertise on how Africa’s challenges on power could best be solved from an African perspective.

“We bring in the technology, but the indige- nous people also have valuable insights on what works best for Africa and innovative solutions to meet the power needs of the continent,” he says.

The USADF operates in 17 African countries, with more than 350 project grants that benefit more than 1.5-million people.