A portable, flat-packed micro-power station that can be loaded onto a donkey is bringing renewable electricity to the most remote communities in western Kenya. The problem is stark: millions of people in Kenya and Malawi live without any grid connection, relying on diesel generators or going without power entirely. This leaves health centres unable to refrigerate vaccines, farmers unable to chill produce, and electric vehicles—used to deliver critical supplies—unable to charge. Existing renewable systems are often too bulky or expensive to reach these areas. The CREAM project combines a Flat Packed Hybrid Power System—solar panels and a wind turbine that can be transported by donkey—with a smart microgrid controller. That controller prioritises power to essential loads like medical fridges during shortages, while making general power available when there is plenty. The system is fully renewable, zero-emission, and scalable: as a community’s energy needs grow, more flat-packed units can be added. If successful, this could transform rural infrastructure. Health centres would keep medicines cold. Farmers could store crops without spoilage. Supply chains for food and medical goods would become reliable, all without fossil fuels.
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According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), as of 2019,36 million people in Kenya and 17 million people in Malawi lacked access to electricity. E-Safiri Charging Ltd. a female led Kenyan Company, roll out renewable energy to hard-to-reach customers in the most remote parts of Kenya. Currently working in remote communities in western parts of Kenya to provide renewable energy for productive uses of energy, E-Safiri aims to supply fully renewable, zero-emission energy systems to remote communities with critical energy needs with applications in farming and sustainable mobility. Communities that need to keep medicine or food refrigerated or need to charge EVs that are delivering critical resources. Glasgow Caledonian University have developed a Flat Packed Hybrid Power System (FPHPS), a micro-power station that combines the benefits of solar PV and wind power generators. These systems are hyper-portable, they can even be loaded onto the back of a donkey and transported to the hardest regions. To cope with the variable nature of renewables, energy storage will be included in the microgrid. The Swanbarton microgrid control system will control the generators and storage. Swanbarton's controller can also isolate non-critical loads, ensuring that critical loads have a power guarantee in times of shortage while general power is available in times of plenty. CREAM is designed to be scalable and flexible. As loads grow, more FPHPS can be deployed. The Swanbarton microgrid controller naturally handles this system growth. CREAM will deliver 100% renewable power to the generator-dependent communities, supplying power to critical facilities such as health centers and for applications in cold storage for agriculture and sustainable mobility for transportation of goods and services.
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