Solar Powered Milling: pioneering efficient and affordable staple food processing in Africa

Partners: Wellspring Development Capital

Country: Kenya

Technology: Low energy inclusive appliances

Stage: Mid

Stage: Round 10

The project envisions developing a solar milling solution, the Agsol MicroMill, to replace diesel-powered mills in off-grid areas of rural Africa. Key objectives for this Energy Catalyst supported project include optimising product design, preparing for mass manufacturing, designing fair financing tools, and creating a commercial strategy. Focused on Kenya initially, the project aims to expand to five additional countries. Over 18 months, Agsol also plans to manufacture and sell 500 MicroMills, delivering 300 kW of new solar capacity, avoiding 400,000 litres of diesel, reducing 1,000 tonnes of CO2, and providing significant social impact, including freeing 3 million hours of women’s time. The innovative project incorporates IoT technologies for real-time monitoring and inclusive ‘pay-as-you-earn’ financing.