- Aptech commissions an 8.5 kWp Solar PV system to recharge the batteries of electric motorbikes in Uganda.
- The hybrid installation will eventually reduce pollution in this East African country.
The mobility start-up Zembo is continuing its journey towards decarbonisation of transport, with 250 electric motorbikes transporting 800 passengers daily in Uganda. The start-up has just acquired a solar photovoltaic system to recharge the batteries of its electric bikes as part of this goal. The 8.5 kWp, 9.6 kWh battery storage system, and small solar power plant were both installed by Aptech Africa.
“The system is integrated into the grid with a Victron Quattro hybrid inverter that contains two inputs and outputs to connect an additional power source such as a generator. The system also has a smart feature, a charge controller with maximum power point capabilities provided by the grid for automatic fault detection and remote monitoring of the battery voltage,” says Aptech.
Due to the decreased cost of its lithium batteries, the project will allow Zembo to provide lower energy prices per kilometre and lower pollution-causing CO2 emissions.
The start-up led by Etienne Saint-Sernin does not intend to stop there. Zembo plans to strengthen its activities by putting 2,000 electric motorbikes on the road, building some 60 battery exchange stations in Uganda, and expanding into several other African countries. All these operations will be carried out thanks to a $3.4 million financing obtained in November 2021 from investors InfraCo Africa, DOB Equity and Mobility 54.