Tagline
How rural communities can benefit from the 4th industrial revolution
Pitch us on your solution
1) 1,3 billion people have no access to basic energy. This prevents better education, information, involvement in civil matters, food security and solutions that are available through the technology of the 4th industrial revolution.
2) Basic energy available 24/7 is required. Our fuel cell technology is safe, renewable, green, mobile, The energy costs are less than traditional products used at present and create no carbon footprint. 3) We provide reliable energy, 24/7 on demand, including wifi, to rural communities, to receive data, monitor, operate and power appliances and equipment. Apps for agriculture reduce risk of crop failures. Apps provide ideas, solutions and platforms to showcase home industry products for sale. Drones, GPS signals and wireless data allow monitoring real time. Sustainable jobs are created. Participation in local challenges can be secured through wireless communication.
Film your elevator pitch
What is the problem you are solving?
1,3 billion people have no access to basic energy. Rural communities we are working in have no basic energy. Unemployment is 80%. This applies to rural areas anywhere in the world. The problem is lack of job opportunities, energy, education, high teenage pregnancies, living below the poverty line, people not having a chance to escape the cycle of poverty. I have visited rural areas in Peru, India, Nepal, Namibia, Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia and South Africa. The challenges these communities face are universal the same. Cultural ways have not changed. The lack of access to basic energy prohibits communication, information, education and prevents positive change. We provide safe, green renewable energy, available 24/7. This enables wireless connectivity, digital technology, internet, data capture, apps and solutions to improve lifestyle, health, lower pregnancy rate and create disposable income. This will close the gap between poor and rich and provide new opportunities to improve the quality of life.
This award was received in South Africa, by the founder Rolf Papsdorf, C.E.O. of AEDC the company that became Zolair Energy Africa in 2017
Award received for project in Limpopo South Africa that provided service to 820 community members in some 300 dwellings.
Who are you serving?
We work with deep rural communities to provide our technology solutions to the community. They own and operate the energy infrastructure. We train local energy service technicians to maintain our fuel cells. Interaction with the community at all levels is important to win trust. Wireless communication is provided. We set up a service shop/community center that provides a variety of services, like fuel cell refurbishment, wifi, computer learning center, a fridge to keep essential medicine, health service, printer, and internet access. Using technology, wireless data, allows real time interaction, receiving data and knowledge. Agriculture and home industry can benefit from access to data technology and information. The community is engaged to participate in activities that can improve their life.
Learning center in service shop with internet access, powered by fuel cells/solar hybrid energy.
service shop for fuel cell replenishment in Limpopo South Africa. Vegetable garden using zinc oxide from used anodes as fertilizer can be seen in the background.
Vegetable garden with service shop in background
women assembling wiring harnesses for lights to be installed in local dwellings
Portable, wireless ultrasound equipment used by travelling nurses to provide basic health services at village service shop/learning center, powered by fuel cells.
What is your solution?
We designed a new fuel cell housing that allows fast manual or automatic exchange of anode and cathode material. We are providing a new energy solution in the form of hybrid zinc air fuel cells/ primary battery. They provide energy 24/7. The technology is safe, proven, renewable, mobile and more cost effective than traditional energy sources used at present, like candles and paraffin that are unhealthy and create fires through accidents. Our fuel cells support solar power in case of bad weather or at night. We establish a service shop and train local personnel as alternate energy and fuel cell technicians. They are maintaining the energy systems that are installed into each household. They collect used fuel cells and replace them with refurbished sets. The used anodes in the fuel cells create zinc oxide, a valuable fertilizer to grow nutritional crops. Having no grid wiring reduces the cost of a project implementation. It reduces risk of energy interruption, due to damage from weather or earthquakes. Each household is responsible for its own use of energy. Energy use is captured wireless, by collecting data real time. That allows logistic planning for new material supply or other service needs to the service shop. We are busy developing a smartphone app that will allow purchase of energy, in watt hrs. on a pay as you go basis.
We provide a holistic solution to the basic needs of the community. This is a smart village solution. Internet provides a virtual shopping center and the rural home industry can market their products via the internet. Technology bridges the gap between the first and the developing world. Software access, are improving productivity, knowledge, solutions, ideas and a market for local products. The learning center is available for use by the community. We create a micro economy in the village for self sufficiency and independence.
New portable fuel cells in carry case. They can be used in conjunction with solar photovoltaic energy. The energy unit weighs 13 KG and has a higher energy density than lithium ion batteries, at a much lower cost. There is no carbon footprint during energy production.
Select only the most relevant.
Where is your solution team headquartered?
Port Elizabeth, South AfricaOur solution's stage of development:
PilotSelect one of the below:
New technologyDescribe what makes your solution innovative.
Solar and wind technology is well known. It has the challenge that it is relying on the sun or wind to produce energy. In order to produce energy 24/7 one would need large storage battery systems that are expensive and not affordable for poor rural communities. Our new low cost rechargeable hybrid zinc air fuel cells are an ideal solution as stand alone energy system. The fuel cells are mobile and can be used separate to solar/wind energy or in conjunction. As support to solar/wind turbine energy, the fuel cells will charge the storage batteries when needed. We are the only commercial low cost fully refurbishable zinc air fuel cell in the world, addressing the needs of off grid communities anywhere.
Previous zinc air fuel cell design, producing 1,47 Volt per single cell, limited mobility for transport, used in previous projects of AEDC.
New fuel cell design producing 1.53 volt per single cell and double the current energy, at a lower production cost, developed by Zolair Energy Africa. Fully portable, can be transported in Helicopter or plane.
The 1 KW unit shown below, is a fuel cell/solar hybrid system designed for high current output. The units can be stacked in multiples to create more voltage or current. The unit shown below creates 8 KW per day
The new fuel cells in a carry case as mobile energy. The unit produces 3600 watt hrs and weighs 13kg. The exchange of fuel cells takes a few minutes.
Describe the core technology that your solution utilizes.
The fuel cells create energy by reducing zinc to zinc oxide in an electrochemical process. The cathode produces a positive voltage, the anode, (zinc powder mixture with additives) provides a negative voltage.The single cells can be stacked to any kind of voltage and current required. The used zinc anodes get exchanged in the service shop facility. The zinc oxide created in the energy producing process can be used as high value fertilizer or recycled back to new zinc. There is no wastage or environmental negative impact using our technology or processes. The zinc anodes get reduced to zinc oxide in the process of creating energy. This zinc oxide can be recycled to new zinc, using solar energy. 90% of the zinc oxide, by weight, can be refurbished back to zinc. Zinc is available anywhere in the world and widely used. It is a stable fully recyclable metal.
The basic principle of zinc air fuel cells
The process to reduce zinc oxide back to new zinc, to make new anodes.
Below: new fuel cell housing section for anode
Anode jig that gets filled with zinc paste, premixed at the service shop.
part of the service shop to refurbish the fuel cells
Please select the technologies currently used in your solution:
Why do you expect your solution to address the problem?
Providing safe reliable energy in the form of our fuel cell technology to off grid areas empowers, creates employment, supplies information, powers equipment, appliances and provides opportunities. Energy is the cornerstone to create a value chain. Being able to operate now a electric sewing machine with wireless software programs, are just one example of changing manufacture. Using farming robots to do soil testing, planting and weed identification, water irrigation control, providing information for what fertilizers are needed, programs from the internet with specific apps, are tools to smarter production. Using technology, drones and GPS to track life stock, survey farming areas by air, open up new exciting opportunities. Using apps allows access to ideas, participate in civil right solutions and marketing own products. Apps reduce waste and supply data. They allows interaction to improve products and services.
In one of our projects we reduced unemployment by 22% as we trained women in arts and craft, embroidery and sewing with electric sewing machines.
Fuel cells operate an electric sewing machine in a rural village in Namibia
women being trained in embroidery and sewing, at community/ service center.
unique hand embroidered patchwork sewn onto a duvet cover
using used zinc oxide, a byproduct of the used zinc anodes, as fertilizer to grow nutritional vegetables. The service shop is visible in the background.
write up in the mine magazin of EXXARO that sponsored the project in Namibia
award received for the Namibia project
Select the key characteristics of the population your solution serves.
In which countries do you currently operate?
In which countries will you be operating within the next year?
How many people are you currently serving with your solution? How many will you be serving in one year? How about in five years?
800 people in a very remote area in South Africa.
Previous projects were sponsored by mines and are not under our influence or control anymore. Some 5000 people had benefited from our technology in the past years, in Namibia and South Africa, sponsored by corporate entities. Malawi and Zambia projects were sponsored private as demonstration projects. The Lesotho border post project was sponsored by the Lesotho government. It is important to create long term relationships with communities and not get involved in politics, especially mines that operate in community owned areas.
5000 in year one in South Africa
400 000 in year 5, South Africa, Nigeria, India, Guatemala and Namibia
What are your goals within the next year and within the next five years?
We showcase the new fuel cells under the the smart energy village solution in South Africa as demonstration for the use of technology, digital evolution, wireless communication, knowledge portal and to scale up to different countries and continents. We have already partners in India, Nigeria, Namibia and South Africa. We will set up separate production facilities under license agreements. Our basic energy, zinc, is a worldwide available resource and the used anodes that form zinc oxide are fully recyclable to new zinc, if not used as fertilizer.
We form partnerships with people and or organizations to use our energy technology and the smart village concept in order to empower communities worldwide. Being able to use wireless technology to communicate with all parties, stake holders, sponsors and service shops in real time allows to share knowledge, experience and possible improvements. These exciting possibilities will benefit the communities.
What are the barriers that currently exist for you to accomplish your goals for the next year and for the next five years?
The main challenge is that we deal with a social solution for rural communities that requires patient capital. The financial institutions like venture capital/ banks, do not finance or get involved in solving challenges of the rural communities. They need high investment return over short period. Our ROI will reach 27%, but will take some time as we implement more and more projects. We do not sell, but lease at low monthly cost, our energy systems, as we are a micro energy provider that sells energy by watt hrs. ( like a cell phone operator selling airtime) . By not charging the infrastructure cost to the end user, only a small monthly service fee , we open up large user market, but have large asset stock. in year 2 We need to finalize our pay as you go energy app for smartphones to allow purchase via mobile banking, energy in watt hrs and in increments. Our units will have a sim card and cell no. as ID that can activate the energy unit from anywhere in the world, via smartphone. This allows sponsorship from third parties anywhere. In year 1 to five we need to set up and scale up a manufacturing/replenishment facility to match growth of customers.
This model shows the wireless activation from anywhere in the world
How are you planning to overcome these barriers?
We work with corporates in South Africa and the IDC to secure funding for project implementations in South Africa. VODACOM, a cell phone service provider, wants to be involved and provide transmission masts that will be operated by our energy systems and be community owned. In other countries we will form partnerships. Partners in these countries will provide financing models, that can be micro finance, license sale for geographic areas or partnerships with corporations that would want to get involved in implementation projects.
Social media, publishing videos of projects via TV channels will create a broad awareness and possible interest for sponsorship. Cell phone providers will want to get involved to cover the last mile of connectivity in order to create more customers.
Part of created revenue from sale of energy will be reinvested into further developments and providing free energy for special needs customers.
Attracting of patient capital for social development and poverty alleviation is another avenue to raise funding.
Funding will be used for project implementations and service back up.
If you have additional video, provide a YouTube or Vimeo link to your video here:
Select an option below:
For-ProfitIf you selected Other for the organization question, please explain here.
we are not part of a larger organization
How many people work on your solution team?
The basic team of Zolair Energy Africa, previously known as Alternative Energy Development Corp. has 5 people in management, that includes, marketing, R+D, finance and operation, full time, but they do not draw a fixed monthly salary.
We have a BEE partner ( Black Economic Enterprise) that implements projects , trains local service technicians and is the support team on the ground. 5 persons are permanent and 15 persons are part contractors and called upon when needed. This allows lean operations.
For how many years have you been working on your solution?
19 years
Why are you and your team best-placed to deliver this solution?
I am the founder and inventor of the zinc air fuel cell. I am an engineer and all round solution finder that thinks out of the box and likes to develop disruptive technologies and solutions to empower the less fortunate. I am a social entrepreneur with passion for what I do. Energy alone does not change lives. It is important to create a holistic solution that encompasses, health, food security, education, wireless communication, job creation and entrepreneurial opportunities. After having been C.E.O. and founder of Alternative Energy Development Corp. in South Africa for many years, I realized that we need to change the business model and improve the technology in order to become sustainable and increase our market sector. I restructured AEDC in 2017 . We are now a private company registered as Zolair Energy Africa, having however years of valuable practical experience. Over the years, technology, apps and digital technology improved at high speed, leading to the fourth industrial revolution. This is why I developed the new fuel cells and smart energy village concept solution that includes the use of new and exciting digital technology, software, applications and solutions that improve production and services in rural communities.
My BEE partners have been in the solar photovoltaic industry for many years.
With what organizations are you currently partnering, if any? How are you working with them?
We have as partner i-lab E, a company in India, ( Mumbai) that seeks to empower rural communities through green sustainable energy
We have a partner in Nigeria, infobyte power solutions that will manufacture and distribute our energy systems into the market. 80% of Nigeria, with some 200 million people, have no access to reliable basic energy.
We are partnering with the Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth, the IDC ( Industrial Development Corp) , VODACOM as cell phone provider and PROPELLA, a smart business incubator in Port Elizabeth.
Global Hand Group, South Africa is a 5% shareholder in our company.
We have a partner, PROMAX in Namibia that will distribute and service the hybrid energy systems of Zolair Energy Africa.
What is your business model?
The business is based on the razor-razor blade model. We provide the energy equipment at a low monthly lease cost to each household, the customer pays for the energy use, in watt hrs. of energy used. ( Like a cell phone pay as you go airtime model). This produces annuity income on a daily basis.
Our energy provides access to wireless communication, internet, technology, education and applications, operate equipment that improve production, marketing and services. Our energy can be used to provide disposable income and create entrepreneurs, home industry, improved agriculture and food security.
Having disposable income will allow to purchase appliances that use energy, increasing revenue.
Our key customers are off grid communities , cell phone operators, micro financing banks and possible NGO's. The beneficiaries are the service shop operators, the rural customers, license holders, energy provider and possibly NGO's.
Our energy costs less than traditional materials used at present, like candles, paraffin and small batteries to operate a radio or CD player.
What is your path to financial sustainability?
We deal with the Industrial Development corporation in South Africa, that provides specific non repayable social economic development funding for deep rural non serviced areas. We create partnerships with corporates like cell phone service providers and sell license rights to other countries. Seed stock investors and combining financing models create the present asset base. The founder of the company has invested personally over $ 1 million over the 19 year period. We will need to raise some capital through the sale of equity, loans or convertible debentures. Customers monthly leasing deposits for receiving energy equipment, will help a roll out into specific geographic areas that can be served by the service shop, provided we have 250 customers within a radius of 3 KM, in order to operate a profitable. The selling of energy in watt hrs. creates an annuity income on a daily basis. Selling the energy in incremental energy units makes it very affordable. Payment will done via mobile banking when the new app is ready. The service shop sides can provide advertising space that can be sold to sponsors and corporates.
Why are you applying to Solve?
The major barrier is that we try to solve social issues and challenges for poor rural communities. This requires like minded people and organizations. It is very difficult to raise capital as patient investment that will only show a good ROI after year 3, especially using technology.
I believe in partnerships and sharing of information in an open platform. This allows to receive third party input that can improve the business model and or implementation of projects.
In order to scale the company we need mentors and professionals that have corporate experience and can help us to achieve goals.
Being a social entrepreneur and inventor, I need people that can share the vision and apply the right tools and methods to achieve set milestones and deliverables.
As we are a social change making company, we are not fitting into corporate structures. We need advise and help to scale up and become an international social solution implementing company.
we need approx. $ 500 000.- in order to become sustaining and profitable.
What types of connections and partnerships would be most catalytic for your solution?
If you selected Other, please explain here.
We need experts from corporate entities that have vision, passion and can help to scale up the potential of the company. They could become shareholders or be consultants. Important is to understand our market and the challenges of being a social change maker company that helps to bridge the divide between rural and developed communities in an ethical way, using technology.
With what organizations would you like to partner, and how would you like to partner with them?
Of great interest would be companies in the wireless communication industry like cell phone industry and other wireless service providers. As we can operate transmission masts in deep rural areas we can reach the last unserviced communities.
Micro financing banks would be of interest.
Companies that supply software and applications that can be useful to our target market of rural communities.
Business partners that would like to use our technology in other countries under license.
If you would like to apply for the AI Innovations Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution. If you are not already using AI in your solution, explain why it is necessary for your solution to be successful and how you plan to incorporate it.
The service shop provides the energy backup and services to the community.
Learning center with wifi and lap tops in service center for use by the community.
The fourth industrial revolution supplies wireless technology in the form of software, applications, artificial intelligence and tools to improve production and knowledge that help create food security, education and entrepreneurial activities. These tools have a significant impact to communities that are living in off grid areas, anywhere in the world. Using data to create measurable impact is one section to build sustainable outcomes. These could be in the food growing sector, tracking weather patterns, using existing data and software available for soil testing, soil analysis and better production practises. Tracking life stock with drones, surveillance of crop, are just some other options. Using our fuel cell/hybrid energy technology to operate transmission masts for communication, cell phone and wireless connection 24/7 are other valuable essential services to create sustainability, earn disposable income and increase learning.
Our company would use any prize money to further implement and enlarge our exciting, life improving technology and services in deep rural areas in Southern Africa to improve the quality of life in these communities.
If you would like to apply for the GM Prize on Community-Driven Innovation, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution.
From any funding received, we would get a GM vehicle in order to get faster and improved services to our target markets in deep rural Southern African areas. As many of our projects are in difficult to reach areas, reliable transport is needed. The impact, through use of data, wireless communication, and software solutions that the fourth industrial revolution provides, will benefit many communities. Our reliable fuel cell/hybrid energy technology available 24/7 on demand is operating transmission mast, wifi, computers, appliances and equipment. Advertising on the rural service shop that we instal in the villages plus the vehicle will show that the sponsor cares about rural development, education and creating disposable income for community members.Besides using a donkey cart for service of the customers fuel cells at their home, we could use a LDV with 4 wheel drive to reach more remote locations that are too far away for more frequent service if required. This increases the reach to more communities.
The fuel cell service shop in a deep rural African village. Here the anodes of the fuel cells get exchanged.
The learning center in the service shop with wifi and laptops, for free use to the community
Donkey cart used in rural Southern Africa
If you would like to apply for the Innovation for Women Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution.
We train women in skills, like homecraft, growing more efficient crops and means that can provide disposable income. We enhance living conditions that make life easier, like providing access to clean water, improve basic health via telemedicine connectivity that will be available at the service shop.
We will create aids awareness and pregnancy prevention workshops at the service shop and use video material for education.
We can organize a weekly visit by a medical nurse that can provide basic health services and operate a mobile ultrasound scanner that sends wireless data to the DR./hospital. This would be very beneficiary to track pregnancies and baby development.
A mobile ultrasound scanner with mobile data equipment, internet access port, memory storage and printer outlet. The unit can be operated by our fuel cells.
women getting training in sewing and embroidery skills
woman using electric sewing machine powered by fuel cells. This enables better quality, faster production and more versatile stitching.
women assembling wiring harnesses for lights to be installed in dwellings in the village
Any funding received would be used to increase the quality of life for rural women and purchasing equipment like a mobile ultrasound scanner, electric sewing machine or other needed appliances.
If you would like to apply for the Prize for Innovation in Refugee Inclusion, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution.
This category would not fit our present rural concept.
If you would like to apply for the Innospark Ventures Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution. If your solution utilizes data, describe how you will ensure that the data is sourced, maintained, and used ethically and responsibly.
The 4th industrial revolution creates opportunities to improve significantly the quality of life in rural off grid areas. Having access to data, knowledge, software and solutions to operate more efficient, smart and productive, will help in various sectors, especially for food security and growing nutritional crops. Using drones to track life stock, using fuel cell energy to power communication equipment 24/7 in any kind of weather, power transmission masts are just some options. Having wifi connectivity allows telemedicine and internet connectivity. Home craft can be marketed onto special social sites under fair trade to create disposable income.
Operating transmission masts 24/7 are the backbone to supply data, communication and cell phone connectivity. The transmission mast is powered by our fuel cell/hybrid technology 24/7
The hybrid fuel cell cell/solar unit can be stacked to create high current and voltage for equipment needing 1KW and more 24/7 independent of weather and location.
We would use any prize money to implement our technology into deep rural off grid areas in Southern Africa. This could include purchase of wireless transmission equipment, laptop computers for learning and data capture and other information needed.
If you would like to apply for the Morgridge Family Foundation Community-Driven Innovation Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution.
Not Suitable
If you would like to apply for the Everytown for Gun Safety Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution. If your solution utilizes data, describe how you will ensure that the data is sourced, maintained, and used ethically and responsibly.
Not suitable
Solution Team
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Rolf Papsdorf C.E.O., Zolair Energy Africa (PTY) Ltd.
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Our Solution
Rural smart village solution