Deadline: 31 January 2025 23:59 UTC
Applications are now open for PREO to support the implementation of Productive Uses of Renewable Energy (PURE) in sub-Saharan Africa. This open call will accept applications from enterprises seeking to pilot innovative. PURE business models in sub-Saharan Africa in sectors including (but not limited to) solar water pumping for irrigation, cold storage for food, agro processing of crops (e.g. milling, drying, oil press), food value chain processing activities, electric mobility for taxi drivers and fishing boats, and more. These can be start-ups at advanced concept stage or operational small and medium-sized enterprises.
Description
PREO promotes the productive use of renewable energy (PURE) in sub-Saharan Africa and the Pacific Island Countries to stimulate local economic development and support global progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG7, SDG8 & SDG13). By bolstering investment and engagement in the PURE sector, PREO strives to realise the potential of PURE as a key driver in a just and inclusive global clean energy transition. The PREO programme supports collaborative partnerships that are designed to meet the specific needs of local communities.
Energy sources
Energy sources should be renewable for example biogas, geothermal, hydropower, solar PV, solar thermal, wind power.
Eligibility Criteria
- Open to applications for projects to be delivered in sub-Saharan Africa countries, excluding South Africa.
- Any legally registered and physically established business or non-profit organisation based in a sub-Saharan Africa country may apply.
- Up to 20 grants are available, for up to EUR 200,000 each (though applications up to EUR 300,000 will be considered).
- Projects should be 12-24 months in duration, and must be completed by the end of June 2027.
- The call will open on 9 December and will close on 31 January 2025 at 23:59 UTC.
- To be eligible, applicants must be piloting a new, or pivoting an existing, business model and be able to demonstrate the viability of a solution that focuses on the productive use of renewable energy, with the grants used to scale these business models and innovations.
Review Criteria
| Section | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Innovation | How innovative is the project proposal? | 15% |
| Scalability of Solution | How scalable/replicable is the project proposal? | 20% |
| Impact | How impactful is the project proposal (in itself)? | 20% |
| Inclusivity | How inclusive is the project proposal? | 20% |
| Public Research Benefits | What wider research outputs and benefits does the project proposal include? | 5% |
| Project Credibility | How credible is the project proposal? | 10% |
| Value for Money | How good value is the project proposal? | 10% |
How to apply
Download the application form (Excel file) where applicants will be asked to provide details of the project, including a project budget spreadsheet, and supporting documents. The Excel application form along with the Grant Application Guidance Note and FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) can be downloaded here:
These should all be read thoroughly before submitting an application.
Once all necessary fields in the application Excel are completed and relevant supporting documents collated, they should be uploaded via a Google form here. This form also requires completion of some information. A Google account will be necessary to access this.
Once submitted, applicants will receive an automatically generated response confirming receipt of the application.
Transforming Energy Access Technical Assistance Facility
For this funding call, additional support is available to a select number of applicants to develop and submit their application proposals, via the Transforming Energy Access Technical Assistance Facility.
The TEA Technical Assistance (TA) Facility aims to maximise the potential of local partners to successfully access grant funding*. The TEA TA facility is funded by UK aid from the UK Government via the Transforming Energy Access platform and delivered by EED advisory. The opportunity for TEA TA support in this round is tied to the PREO call for sub-Saharan Africa-based projects, and is open only to selected innovators or organisations based in sub-Saharan Africa that are considering applying for the PREO open call. The deadline to apply for support through the TEA TA Facility is 15 December 23: 59 UTC.
Visit the TEA website to find full eligibility criteria and details on how to apply for support. tea.carbontrust.com/tea-technical-assistance-facility.
*Please note that receiving the technical assistance through the TEA TA Facility does not guarantee success in securing grants. Grant funding will be awarded by PREO selection committee upon their review of the proposal, which is independent from the Technical Assistance Facility. At no point will the review panels be aware of which applicants have applied for/or received the TA support.
Application Guidance – Learn more about the Open Call application process through watching this step-by-step guide
Available resources
For more information about PREO, please visit the website www.preo.org/about
Contact
In case you have questions not addressed by the Grant Application Guidance Note and FAQ documents, or if you would like additional information, please contact contact@preo.org.