UK-backed solar project reduces humanitarian energy costs in Chad

The ZE-Gen initiative is piloting the ‘ZERO’ project in Chad, a renewable energy model designed to help humanitarian agencies replace expensive diesel generators with solar power and battery storage. Supported by the UK Government’s Ayrton Fund through the Transforming Energy Access platform, the project utilizes an ‘energy-as-a-service’ model.

Under this arrangement, humanitarian agencies pay a set tariff for the electricity they consume rather than financing, procuring, or maintaining the renewable energy infrastructure themselves. The pilot, currently operating at a UN agency’s country office in N’Djamena, has reportedly cut electricity costs by at least 25% and is expected to reduce diesel generator running time by between 73% and 85%.

Humanitarian organizations spend an estimated $100 million annually on generator fuel, leaving them vulnerable to price volatility and supply chain disruptions. Developers are now seeking funding to expand this model to other regions, including Kenya, to redirect savings toward essential services like healthcare and sanitation.