Energy Catalyst, an Innovate UK programme, highlighted African clean-energy innovation at the Sankalp Africa Summit 2026 in Nairobi from 25 to 26 February, aiming to accelerate a “just and inclusive clean energy transition” across the continent.
“Our presence at Sankalp Africa Summit 2026 is driven by a clear purpose: to accelerate a just and inclusive clean energy transition by engaging directly with innovators, investors, and partners across the continent,” said Jillian Henderson, Energy Catalyst Lead at Innovate UK.
During the two-day summit, Energy Catalyst hosted a session titled ‘Powering the Food Systems – Energy as Infrastructure for Agriculture,’ which spotlighted initiatives scaling clean, affordable, and reliable energy solutions in African markets.
Matt Carr, CEO and Founder of Agsol, which develops solar-powered agri-processing solutions for off-grid farming communities, said, “In Kenya, the cost of milling varies depending on where you are in the country, but approximately the customers who come to a diesel mill with their own grain to mill, for every 10 or 20 shillings which they are paying for a milling service, half of what they paying goes straight to diesel.”
Gommyr Power Networks, another participant, provides solar-battery microgrid hubs supporting cold-chain storage and transport in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mozambique. Its managing director, Arnaud Henin, said, “We focus on on-site, renewable-based energy systems to offer off-grid solutions. In particular, we focus on productive activities; using that energy to supply or catalyse productive activities in underserved rural communities.”
In Mozambique, Gommyr is launching GoHubs—solar-battery microgrid hubs delivering ice, cold storage, and cold-chain transport to support the artisanal fishing sector in Nova Mambone and Pomene.
The hubs aim to reduce spoilage, improve processing, and expand market access for more than 300 fishermen and resellers, supported by a platform to optimise energy use.
The summit’s theme, ‘South-South Rising,’ highlighted a growing trend of innovation emerging from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. African innovators are increasingly designing, manufacturing, and deploying solutions tailored to their local markets, fostering regional collaboration, investment, and knowledge exchange.
Other participants showcasing solutions at the summit included Compact Syngas Solutions and Hubl Logistics/Coolrun.
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