Digital Energy Challenge For Utilities - Annual Call for Projects

The 2024 Challenge for Utilities is open to projects owned by African public power utilities (including public Independent System Operators, private companies under a public service concession, power pools, regional organisations, energy regulators and rural electrification authorities) in a partnership with an innovative technology/service provider. Candidates can request support to identify a partner when downloading the application pack. 

For every annual Call for Projects, 2 to 3 winning utility partnerships will each benefit from:

• Financial support of up to €500K including: a grant to contribute to costs for equipment, software, products or services supplied by the innovative technology or service provider and training; technical assistance for project management support or strategic and technical expertise.
• A joint boot camp run by cross-sectorial experts, to support project implementation, provide sectorial insights, foster synergies between project winners and encourage best-practice sharing.
• Widespread communication campaigns piloted by AFD during the selection phase, award ceremony, bootcamp and for a period of time after these events.

The project owner must be an African public power utility or organisation. This definition includes public ISO (Independent System Operators), private companies under a public service concession, power pools, regional organisations, energy regulators and rural electrification authorities.

The project owner must be in a partnership with a technology/service provider which must meet the following criteria:

• Less than 15 years existence and have already developed an innovative solution to be tested with the Challenge 
• National or international registered company
• More than 5 employees
• Annual turnover of less than €50M
• Have already entered into business relations with an African utility, resulting in the signature – either effective or imminent – of a memorandum of understanding.

The collaborative project must have digital technology as a core element (telecom, computer or cloud-based technology); be innovative either intrinsically or in relation to the local market/country; and be local i.e. have project management activities in the country where the project is based. 

To bring together a community of actors with a common interest in modernizing the energy sector, a dedicated platform was launched at the end of 2023: the Digital Energy Platform.

For more information on each category and to apply, visit: 

• The Digital Energy Challenge for Start-ups
• The Digital Energy Challenge for Utilities

• Launch of the Call for Projects: 1st March 2024
• Information webinars: 19th March 2024  
• Deadline for submission: 15th May 2024 - 23:59 CET
• Notification of award winners and bootcamp: Autumn 2024

For more information:

• Download the Challenge brochure
• Consult the FAQ which will be updated regularly
• Join the Challenge mailing list and ask any questions by contacting us