4 Comments
User's avatar
John Kidenda's avatar

I really enjoyed your Odd Lot's Podcast interview! I'm glad to see Microgrids and Next-generation batteries listed on the APET list. I am a Director at PowerGen Renewable Energy, which is the leading Microgrid developer/distributed utility in Africa (~15,000 connections serving ~ 60,000 individuals) so I am clearly all in on that vision. I also just finished reading Jennifer Doudna's "A crack in creation" and I am intrigued by the potential for Gene drives to eradicate Malaria, trypanosomiasis, denge fever and other mosquito born diseases! Looking forward to reading future posts!

Expand full comment
W. Gyude Moore's avatar

Thanks a lot for commenting on the piece. I'll like to learn more about PowerGen. I honestly believe that tech (high or low) can be a force multiplier against poverty in Africa. Do stay in touch.

Expand full comment
John Kidenda's avatar

Here is a brief video on who we are and what we do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBsaYBCotYA.

And here is an article on the close of our Series B in 2019: https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/shell-and-sumitomo-snap-up-15-percent-stake-in-minigrid-firm

Expand full comment
John Kidenda's avatar

We are have ~ 2500 household connections in Sierra Leone and are building another 10,000 connections over the coming year (we could have about 10% of SLs electricity connections by the time we are done). I think doing something Similar in Liberia would make a lot of sense...

Expand full comment