EkoRent Africa (EkoRent), a business supported by PIDG company InfraCo Africa and EEP Africa, has today signed a Solar Charging Project Collaboration Agreement with Strathmore Energy Research Centre through Strathmore Research and Consultancy Centre, establishing a framework for setting up Kenya’s first Nopea SolarHub Electric Vehicle Charging Station. EkoRent operates NopeaRide, an all-electric taxi-hailing service in the city with 14 grid-tied charging points in six locations across Nairobi: the new solar hub will now enable its vehicles to also charge their batteries using the power of the sun.
Speaking at the signing event, Juha Suojanen, Founder and CEO of EkoRent said: “The collaboration announced today is an exciting next step for NopeaRide in Nairobi. We look forward to cooperating with Strathmore Energy Research Centre, through its dedicated Research and Consultancy Centre, in finding localised solutions to further promote clean mobility in Kenya and Africa. The Nopea SolarHub charging stations on the Strathmore University campus are the first of their kind in Africa and show how it is possible to efficiently combine clean energy and clean mobility solutions. Due to Kenya being located on the Equator and ideal for harvesting clean solar energy, it has great potential to lead efforts towards zero-emissions transport in Africa.”
Under the terms of the Agreement, Strathmore University Energy Research Centre will provide space on its campus for NopeaRide to set up and install a Nopea SolarHub and Electric Vehicle Charging Stations for use by NopeaRide’s 100% electric taxi fleet.
Prof. Izael Da Silva, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at Strathmore University, said during the partnership’s debut, “Africa is in the midst of robust technical developments and innovation. We are honoured to collaborate with EkoRent Africa in this monumental effort to achieve zero-emission mobility in Africa. Strathmore University prepares students to create projects that address societal issues. Higher education institutions are think tanks where solutions to societal problems are produced, hence partnering with corporations to advance such revolutionary agendas is critical.”
