A ground-breaking project to provide off-grid communities in Africa with affordable, clean energy is being led by engineers from the University of Sheffield.
Together, they are creating longer-lasting MOPO Batteries, which have the potential to completely transform energy access throughout the continent, in partnership with Sheffield-based Mobile Power, a pay-per-use battery technology company.
MOPO Batteries are a portable and environmentally sustainable substitute for petrol generators, and they were created to meet the urgent needs of communities with intermittent electricity supplies.
These solar-powered batteries run lights, refrigerators, and e-mobility devices. They are a lifesaver for people who live with erratic power systems.
Dan Gladwin, professor of electronic and electrical engineering said: “More than 740 million people don’t have access to electricity around the world and for many off-grid communities or those with unstable power networks, the only reliable power sources potentially available are petrol and diesel generators.”
He said those were often expensive and could be “dangerous and damaging” to the environment.
“Smart batteries can play a major role in helping to connect communities to electricity. They are clean, safe and can be much cheaper to access than petrol and diesel generators.”
Sheffield University engineers have been providing Mobile Power with technical support since 2017. This has helped to increase the technology’s practicality and longevity of battery cells.
Researchers will now work with Mobile Power’s R&D team on a new knowledge transfer project to develop MOPO Batteries. The project will look into the possibility of repurposing batteries that have reached the end of their vehicle power lifespan for energy-related uses, like powering electrical items.
As the partnership between Mobile Power and Sheffield University increases, expectations are high for MOPO Batteries to keep moving forward and providing light and development to areas that have long been without access to basic amenities.
