SESA is a collaborative project between the European Union and nine African countries that aims at providing energy access technologies and business models that are easily replicable and generate local opportunities for economic development and social cohesion in Africa, also using European know-how to support knowledge exchange and partnerships for the energy transition.

Through the SESA project innovative energy solutions will be tested in Kenya first (SESA demonstration site), validated in Ghana, Malawi, Morocco, and South Africa and finally replicated in Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Living labs will be established in different countries to ensure a strong engagement of the local community and a start-up hub will provide knowledge and assistance to local businesses to support the implementation of the solutions identified. The technologies on focus will be related to solar energy, microgrid, and smart grid systems, waste-to-energy, electric vehicles, energy storage and second-life batteries. Besides the technological aspects, strong attention is put on social and economic impacts and assessments, which are key to successful uptake.

To achieve the project objectives, SESA deploys a five-pillar conceptual approach which represents different levels of progress towards achieving set objectives:

• Inform: Boost the accessibility of innovative, affordable and efficient renewable energy solutions in Africa
• Inspire: Facilitate exchange and partnerships between Europe and Africa on sustainable energy innovation
• Initiate: Enable innovators in African urban and rural communities to leap to sustainable energy
• Implement: Co-develop, innovate, and replicate innovative energy solutions tailored to urban and rural contexts across Africa
• Impact: Foster long-term partnerships and exchange on innovative sustainable energy solutions.