NEED FOR OPEN SOURCE IN ENERGY ACCESS

· The first ever Open Source in Energy Access Symposium (OSEAS) organized by EnAccess Foundation and World Resources Institute (WRI) was held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 7-10 May 2024, supported by the World Bank, Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and Prospect.

· The symposium brought together energy access practitioners, open-source developers (both hardware and software) researchers, and donors to learn from each other’s experiences, exchange know-how, and explore how open source can be leveraged to improve energy access where it is needed the most.

· Attended by practitioners from Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States of America, the event featured keynote speeches, and panel discussions featuring renowned speakers like Abba Aliyu, Acting Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and Michael Ivenso, Director of Energy, Transportation and Infrastructure at National Council on Climate Change (NCCC). The event also championed diversity, as 45% of speakers were women, and over 80% of attendees hailed from the global south, fostering a truly inclusive space for collaboration.

· Mr Aliyu stated that the Federal Minister of Power wants the REA to focus on developing an electrification plan. However, creating such a plan without access to relevant data is challenging, if not impossible. He clarified that REA’s presence at the event was to ensure its sustainability and ability to achieve its strategic objectives, with a comprehensive electrification plan being a vital part of that.

· Mr Aliyu further praised the inaugural Open Source in Energy Access Symposium as a very novel initiative, and that the REA is keen to key into this initiative. “We will work with you to make sure that we move our developers from being ordinary developers to being Renewable Energy Service Providers that will have utility-scale portfolios to help us bridge this gap as quickly as possible.”

· Other speakers included Prof. Vijay Modi, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University; Dr. Dimitris Mentis, Lead, Energy Access Explorer, World Resources Institute; Daniel Komolafe, Founder, First Electric; Chioma Ome, Country Director, Solar Sister Nigeria; Ifunanya Genevieve Nwandu, Off grid Solar Expert, World Bank; Ruth Ikegah, OS Program Manager, Open-Source Community Africa; and Dr. Tatiana González Grandón, United Nations University.

· The presentations and panel discussions spotlighted several open source tools including Ukama, which ensures dependable internet connectivity alongside energy access efforts; Autarky, which helps mini-grid operators optimize sizing and dispatch strategies effectively even in volatile environments; The FAIR battery project, which provides open-source battery assembly designs to support a clean energy shift for remote, under-resourced areas.; Energy Access Explorer (EAE), which is the first tool to use an open source, data-driven integrated and inclusive approach to energy planning; and the Off-Grid Planner Tool which supports mini-grid infrastructure planning.

· During the hackathon, participants ideated on solutions and received prizes for their problem-solving. This symposium will be the first of many to bring stakeholders together and stimulate interest, collaboration and financing to develop open-source tools that drive energy access in Africa. The symposium was a giant leap forward in harnessing the power of open source for a more sustainable and equitable energy future.

· Ifioma Ngozi Malo, Abuja