Energy4Wellbeing tackles the key challenge of improving wellbeing in South African informal settlements through installing solar powered mini-grids to provide smart, clean and renewable energy, but also uses smartphone based technologies to assess the wellbeing impact of energy access. 
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​​Energy4Wellbeing is led by the University of Exeter, and brings together researchers from the University of Cape Town, innovative South African smart solar energy firm Zonke Energy, and NGO Thrie Energy Collective. The project is funded under the British Academy's GCRF Urban Infrastructure  of Wellbeing Programme


​A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT LED BY THE UNIVERSITIES OF EXETER AND CAPE TOWN, WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ZONKE ENERGY TO INSTALL A SOLAR HOME MICROGRID IN AN INFORMAL SETTLEMENT IN CAPE TOWN, AND COLLECT DATA ON THE WELLBEING IMPACT OF OUR SOLAR HOME INTERVENTION 

​​This is what we are trying to do! The image on the right side is from Jabula, a small informal settlement in Cape Town where Zonke Energy installed an experimental solar microgrid. We are adding to this work by installing, in another settlement, a larger microgrid – a way of providing clean, renewable energy to local households, generating savings compared to fuels that would otherwise need to be burnt in the home. And since we know that energy infrastructures and wellbeing are mutually linked, we’re assessing how the installation and operation of the microgrid affects wellbeing. We’re doing this digitally, by using smartphone-based data collection in partnership with NGO the Thrie Energy Collective, and with the local community.
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The pilot minigrid installed by Zonke Energy in the Jabula community (Source, Zonke energy, 2016) http://zonkeenergy.com/Gallery.php