Open Call: 2025 Powering Renewable Energy Opportunities (PREO) For Africans (Up to EUR 300,000 Grant)
Applications are now open for PREO to support the implementation of Productive Uses of Renewable Energy (PURE) in sub-Saharan Africa.
This open call will accept applications from enterprises seeking to pilot innovative PURE business models in sub-Saharan Africa in sectors including (but not limited to) solar water pumping for irrigation, cold storage for food, agro processing of crops (e.g. milling, drying, oil press), food value chain processing activities, electric mobility for taxi drivers and fishing boats, and more.
These can be start-ups at advanced concept stage or operational small and medium-sized enterprises.
PREO promotes the productive use of renewable energy (PURE) in sub-Saharan Africa and the Pacific Island Countries to stimulate local economic development and support global progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG7, SDG8 & SDG13).
By bolstering investment and engagement in the PURE sector, PREO strives to realise the potential of PURE as a key driver in a just and inclusive global clean energy transition.
The PREO program supports collaborative partnerships that are designed to meet the specific needs of local communities.
Program Summary
- Type: Accelerator Program
- Sponsor: PREO
- Eligible Countries: Sub-Sahara African Countries
- Value: EUR 300,000
- Deadline: January 31, 2025
Eligibility Criterias for the 2025 Powering Renewable Energy Opportunities
- Open to applications for projects to be delivered in sub-Saharan Africa countries, excluding South Africa.
- Any legally registered and physically established business or non-profit organisation based in a sub-Saharan Africa country may apply.
- Projects should be 12-24 months in duration, and must be completed by the end of June 2027.
To be eligible, applicants must be piloting a new, or pivoting an existing, business model and be able to demonstrate the viability of a solution that focuses on the productive use of renewable energy, with the grants used to scale these business models and innovations.
Countries/Regions Eligible for Funding
- The PREO Open Call 2025 is only eligible for projects based in sub-Saharan Africa.
- While PREO has issued calls for proposals regularly in recent years, this will be the final funding round in this phase until 2027.
Regional Restrictions
- Currently, only projects implemented in sub-Saharan Africa (with the exception of South Africa) will be considered.
- This includes countries like Burundi, Nigeria, Somalia, Madagascar, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
Pacific/Asian region Eligibility
- Projects from Pacific Islands, Asia, or other regions outside sub-Saharan Africa are not eligible for this funding round.
- For projects in other regions, consider exploring other UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office funded programmes like Energy Catalyst.
Organisation/Entity Eligibility
New startup eligibility
- Newly registered startups (2024) without prior grant funding are eligible to apply, provided they can secure the required co-financing (either from internal or additional sources).
UN agency/international organisation eligibility
- PREO accepts applications from: private/public companies, not-for-profit organisations, NGOs, community-based organisations, and state-owned entities.
Sub-Saharan African ownership definition
- Sub-Saharan African ownership means the organisation or business is based in a sub-Saharan African country, with majority ownership (over 51%) held by citizens, diaspora citizens, refugees, migrants, or forcibly displaced people from the region.
Female ownership Criterias
- Female ownership refers specifically to the organisation’s ownership and leadership structure, not beneficiaries or participants. The entity must be majority owned by women in terms of its legal and financial structure.
University/Educational institution Eligibility
- Educational institutions are eligible to apply. They should clearly demonstrate their organisational structure and how they meet ownership criteria in their application.
Technical Assistance & Support for the 2025 Powering Renewable Energy Opportunities
Pre-application technical support
While one-on-one pre-application technical assistance is not available, PREO provides:
- A comprehensive webinar guiding applicants through the application process.
- Detailed FAQ and guidance documents.
- Referrals to PREO delivery partner, E4I, for specific technical assistance needs.
Project development Assistance
- Technical assistance requests for project development are forwarded to E4I for support.
Meeting/Presentation requests
- To ensure fairness, PREO cannot schedule individual pre-application meetings or presentations.
- Applicants are encouraged to review the provided guidance materials and webinar.
TEA Program Support
- For TEA-specific inquiries, register at TEA Technical Assistance Facility website to receive notifications about application windows. Available webinars include “Developing Compelling Proposals” and “Navigating the Grant Application Process”.
Grant Amount & Co-financing
Maximum grant amount
- Applications can request up to EUR 300,000.
- The exact amount of co-financing required (50-75%) depends on whether the organisation is Sub-Saharan African owned or internationally owned.
Co-financing Requirements
Organisations must provide between 50-75% additional co-financing based on ownership structure:
- Internationally owned organisations: higher co-financing requirement
- Sub-Saharan African owned organisations: lower co-financing requirement
Future funding Rounds
- This is anticipated to be the last round of funding in this phase of PREO, until 2027.
- While PREO has issued regular calls previously, no additional rounds are planned in the immediate future.
Deadline: 31st January, 2025