Off-Grid: Innovation and Technologies

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Part of the founding team of Feutoix at Ulm University of Applied Sciences. She works on battery-free, solar-powered off-grid cooking appliances and conducts field tests in Malawi. Her focus is on innovative, practical technology with social benefits in Europe and Africa.

Géraldine Quelle has been working for Phaesun GmbH since 2010 operating research and innovation projects in different African countries, currently coordinating the BeCool Kenya and Ghana project. She holds a diploma in International Business Administration and a Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Systems. Since its foundation in 2001, Phaesun has focused on PV Off-grid power supply for rural electrification, productive use solutions, water pumping systems and the caravan & camping sector. The main target regions are Africa, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. Phaesun works closely with international NGOs and GOs as well as with local partner companies in the target countries to deliver and permanently establish energy in non-electrified areas.

Stefan Zelazny is a Managing Director of the Access to Energy Institute, the first independent, non-for-profit collaborative research and development platform in the energy access industry, which was launched in January 2019 (www.a2ei.org). The A2EI is supported by the IKEA, DOEN and Good Energies Foundations. The A2EI is primarily putting data and engineering capabilities at the disposition of the offgrid sector, with a focus on open source hardware and software solutions. The A2EI can concentrate on solving the tough challenges in the offgrid sector, that commercial companies cannot put at the centre of their endeavour. Prior to the A2EI, Stefan has been active for eleven years in the energy access sector, since 2011 with Mobisol as Chief Innovation Officer and later leading ENGIE Energy Access' digital team. He joined the A2EI in August 2022. Until 2011 Stefan worked for several Berlin based start-ups, building businesses and teams around digital and innovative topics. He studied and graduated in Law at Humboldt Universität Berlin and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.

Mithil Barath is the Promotions and Communications Coordinator at Asantys Systems GmbH and Asantys Groups, specializing in Brand Development and technical project communications. Certified in Business Analysis and Process Management, he represents the company in sharing insights from key projects and innovations, connecting with peers and industry leaders on emerging trends and collaborative opportunities.