PAM Africa - Powering Africa's Energy Future

Solar Battery Hub - SBH

Overview More than 90 million Nigerians live without reliable electricity, relying on expensive and polluting generators. The Solar Battery Hub (SBH) reimagines how off-grid electricity is produced, stored, and delivered. Developed with the Centre for Energy Equality (CEE), SBH is a scalable, data-driven model that uses a central solar array to charge portable batteries distributed to households, businesses, schools, and health facilities. PAM’s Role - Feasibility Study – Detailed market assessments in off-grid communities to understand user needs, affordability, and technical constraints. - Design – Modular, scalable system architecture integrating solar arrays, portable batteries, and monitoring tools for efficiency and reliability. - Pilot Developments (SBH1–3) – Three hubs deployed and tested in real-world conditions; pilots delivered insights into user behavior, system performance, and commercial viability to inform large-scale replication. Impact Reliable power extends trading hours, reduces food spoilage, and grows income for market traders and MSMEs. Health facilities preserve vaccines/medicines and can run safe night-time operations. Schools benefit from improved learning environments. Women—who form the majority of market stall operators—gain economic opportunity, narrowing the rural–urban equity gap. Broader Benefits By displacing diesel generators, SBH reduces emissions and improves air quality. The infrastructure lays foundations for e-mobility (electric bikes/vehicles), and the affordability + scalability make the model ready to expand across sub-Saharan Africa—unlocking opportunities and accelerating the clean-energy transition.

Solar Battery Hub - SBH