NFE

Author: Aaron Tushabe

  • The Three Pillars: Energy Reliability, Resilience and Abundance

    The Three Pillars: Energy Reliability, Resilience and Abundance

    Why these three ideas sit at the center of our work at Nearly Free Energy

    When people ask what really drives our work at Nearly Free Energy, I usually come back to three words: reliability, resilience, and abundance.

    They sound technical at first, maybe even like utility jargon. But in reality, they describe very human experiences; the frustration of power going off in the middle of the day, the anxiety during a long blackout, and the quiet calculation people make every month about whether they can afford to pay their electricity bill.

    These three qualities shape how we think about energy, how we design our systems, and why we exist as a company.

    Reliability: Keeping the Lights On During Everyday Life

    Reliability is the one most of our customers immediately understand — because they live with unreliable electricity every single day.

    At its simplest, reliability is about providing uninterrupted power under normal conditions and during expected, short disruptions ; things like minor equipment failures or routine storms.

    The usual ways to measure reliability are pretty straightforward:

    • how often outages happen (frequency)
    • how long they last (average duration and time to restore)

    The goal here is simple: electricity should stay on during everyday events.

    How we work toward reliability

    Automated backups
    We collect detailed outage data from the communities we serve. When the grid goes down, backup power comes on automatically. Because we track outage frequency and duration, we can size these backups more accurately; not guessing, but responding to real patterns.

    Predictive maintenance
    We invest in high‑quality equipment; meters, inverters, solar panels, batteries and we monitor them continuously. That lets us spot performance issues early and fix them before they turn into outages. The goal is to prevent failure, not just respond to it.

    Reliability is about trust. When people flip a switch, they shouldn’t have to wonder whether power will be there.

    Resilience: When Things Go Really Wrong

    Resilience is often misunderstood, even within the energy industry.

    While reliability focuses on normal conditions, resilience is about rare but severe events: floods, major grid failures, fuel shortages, or system-wide breakdowns that cause long outages.

    Resilience asks a different question: when something big goes wrong, how quickly can we recover — and what can we keep running in the meantime?

    Key metrics here include:

    • mean time to restore power
    • the percentage of critical services kept online

    The goal isn’t perfection. It’s to minimize the damage of a catastrophe.

    How we design for resilience

    Microgrids
    We build grid-connected but islandable microgrids; smaller networks that can disconnect from the main grid and operate independently when necessary. This prevents a single failure upstream from taking everyone down with it.

    Peak‑shaving and load prioritization
    During severe outages, not every load can be supported equally. We design systems that prioritize critical needs; lighting, refrigeration, communications; instead of spreading limited power too thin.

    Resilience is about dignity during crisis. Even when systems fail, life shouldn’t come to a halt.

    Abundance: Energy You Can Actually Use

    Abundance is our favorite of the three; because it’s the one that changes behavior.

    Energy abundance means electricity is both sustainable and affordable. People shouldn’t have to choose between using power and protecting the environment. And they shouldn’t feel anxious every time they turn something on.

    Our working definition is simple:

    • energy is generated from renewable sources (like sunlight)
    • electricity costs less than 2% of a household’s monthly income

    When those two conditions are met, we consider energy truly abundant.

    Key metrics include:

    • percentage of energy from renewables
    • the ratio of monthly electricity bills to household income

    The goal is clear: expand access to clean energy without financial stress.

    How we work toward abundance

    Renewables only
    We made a deliberate and costly decision to run our microgrids on 100% renewable energy. Lithium‑ion batteries are expensive upfront, but they allow solar to serve not just as backup power, but eventually as the primary source for entire communities.

    Usage transparency
    We use smart meters that give customers real‑time insight into how their homes consume electricity. When people can see usage as it happens, they can adjust behavior immediately keeping bills affordable without guesswork.

    With abundance comes freedom: freedom to cook, study, work, and live without constantly counting units.

    The Three Pillars, Together

    Reliability, resilience, and abundance aren’t independent ideas. They reinforce each other. They are at the heart of the energy access movement.

    When energy is reliable, people trust it.
    When it’s resilient, communities survive disruption.
    When it’s abundant, energy becomes an enabler rather than a constraint.

    At that point, electricity stops being just a commodity to manage.

    It becomes a tool for community transformation.

    That’s the future we’re building at Nearly Free Energy. Learn more here

  • Grid connections and inequitable access to electricity in African cities

    A friend of mine shared this research paper with me today. Academic papers tend to be very dense so I thought I would skim it and attempt highlight it’s insights and implications for the work NFE is doing in Uganda today.

    1. Persistent Inequity in Urban Electricity Access

    • Urbanization and Grid Limitations: Despite rapid urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa, the electricity grid struggles to meet the needs of marginalized urban populations, especially in informal settlements. These areas house a significant portion of city dwellers, who often face affordability and legal barriers to formal grid access.
    • Continued Reliance on Polluting Fuels: Even where grid connections exist, many low-income urban residents continue to rely on biomass and fossil fuels due to the limited affordability, reliability, and safety of grid electricity.

    2. Complex and Informal Grid Connections

    • Diverse Connection Types: The study identifies a wide variety of grid connection types in Kampala’s informal settlements. These range from standard individual metered connections to collective (shared) metered or unmetered arrangements, and even illegal “tapping” of the grid.
    • Service Arrangements: There are at least 29 distinct service arrangements (combinations of connection type and payment recipient), reflecting the complexity and heterogeneity of electricity access in these communities.

    3. Financial Flows and Payment Structures

    • Who Gets Paid: While 44% of respondents paid the utility directly, a majority (56%) paid intermediaries such as landlords, neighbors, or local electricians (kamyufus). This highlights the prevalence of informal financial arrangements.
    • Payment Methods: Payment structures vary widely. Some users pay a flat monthly rate, others use a pay-as-you-go system, and some use a hybrid approach. Collective metered connections often result in less transparent and more inequitable payment systems.

    4. Limitations of Existing Metrics

    • Inadequacy of Standard Frameworks: Traditional metrics like the World Bank’s Multi-Tier Framework (MTF) fail to capture the realities of informal and improvised grid connections. These frameworks often oversimplify access as binary (connected/unconnected) and overlook the social and structural barriers to equitable electricity access.

    5. Policy Implications

    • Need for Holistic Approaches: The paper argues for integrating qualitative, user-centered perspectives with technical data to better understand and address the lived realities of electricity access.
    • Addressing Structural Barriers: Policymakers must recognize and address the structural inequities that drive informal grid connections, including high connection costs, affordability issues, and insecure land tenure.

    6. Empirical Findings from Kampala

    • Survey and Monitoring Data: The study is based on surveys (n=500), interviews (n=66), and remote power quality monitoring (n=146) across 25 informal settlements in Kampala.
    • Connection Costs: The cost of a formal utility connection ranged from 1 to 3.8 times the average monthly income of respondents, making it prohibitively expensive for many.
    • Shared Meters: The majority of metered connections (64%) were collective, with multiple households sharing a single meter, often due to the high cost of individual connections.

    Summary Table: Key Findings

    AspectMain Findings
    Grid AccessHighly inequitable, especially in informal settlements
    Connection Types29 unique service arrangements identified, including many informal setups
    Payment Recipients44% pay utility, 56% pay intermediaries (landlords, neighbors, kamyufus)
    Payment StructuresFlat rate, pay-as-you-go, and hybrid models common
    Connection Costs1–3.8 times average monthly income, a major barrier
    Reliance on Polluting FuelsRemains high despite grid connections
    Policy FrameworksCurrent metrics fail to capture complexity of informal access

    Conclusion

    The study underscores that grid connections in African cities like Kampala are not translating into equitable, reliable, or safe electricity access for the urban poor. I feel validated to see a more rigorous research process highlight the challenges I have seen in my own experience growing up in Kampala and my conversations with residents there today. Addressing these challenges requires a more nuanced understanding of informal practices, user experiences, and the structural barriers that shape energy access in rapidly urbanizing contexts.

    Special thanks to Gilbert Nuwagira for bringing this paper to my attention.

  • What are microgrids – and how can they help with power cuts?

    Power outages are a significant inconvenience that can disrupt lives, businesses, and essential services. As energy demands rise and traditional power grids become increasingly strained, microgrids offer a promising solution to ensure reliable, sustainable energy.

    Understanding Microgrids

    Microgrids are localized power grids capable of operating independently from the primary electricity grid. Unlike traditional grids, which span vast geographic areas, microgrids typically serve smaller, defined regions such as a single building, hospital, industrial park, university campus, military base, or even a neighborhood. By interconnecting, multiple microgrids can supply larger areas, potentially serving towns or entire cities.

    Microgrids predominantly harness renewable energy sources, including solar panels, wind turbines, and hydropower, contributing to sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

    Why Are Microgrids Essential?

    Large-scale electricity grids, while extensive and powerful, are vulnerable to disruptions due to severe weather events, equipment failure, or other emergencies. These interruptions can leave millions without power, affecting crucial infrastructure such as hospitals and emergency response systems.

    Microgrids provide resilience through their ability to disconnect from the main grid during disturbances—a process known as ‘islanding.’ By doing so, they continue to supply power independently, significantly mitigating the impact of outages. Microgrids also offer vital electricity to remote or rural areas that otherwise lack access to traditional grid connections.

    Types of Microgrids

    There are three primary categories of microgrids:

    1. Remote Microgrids (Off-grid): These microgrids operate in remote locations, disconnected entirely from central power grids. They are usually powered by renewable sources like solar or wind and continuously run in island mode.
    2. Grid-connected Microgrids: These systems maintain a connection to the main grid but can operate autonomously when necessary, ensuring uninterrupted power during main grid failures.
    3. Networked Microgrids: Groups of interconnected microgrids that provide energy across wider geographical areas, enhancing resilience at a larger scale.

    Real-world Examples

    Microgrid technology is not theoretical—practical examples are evident globally:

    • In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sister Alphonsine Ciza built a micro-hydroelectric plant powering schools, a clinic, and a church, transforming her community plagued by daily power outages.
    • California’s Santa Rita Jail developed its microgrid after the state’s 2001 energy crisis. It now relies on renewable energy, including solar, wind, and a fuel cell providing reliable power and heat.
    • Australia’s MyTown Microgrid Heyfield aims to create a replicable model for rural towns, utilizing funding from Australian governments.
    • In Africa, OffGridBox employs solar-powered shipping containers to provide electricity and purified drinking water to remote areas, addressing multiple community needs simultaneously.

    Global Adoption and Future Outlook

    Globally, there are approximately 4,500 microgrid projects, with significant deployments across Asia-Pacific, North America, the Middle East, and Africa. Countries such as the U.S. and India each host around 160 microgrid projects, predominantly utilizing renewable energy.

    Microgrids promise not just resilience against power cuts but also a sustainable pathway toward reducing global reliance on fossil fuels. As communities, businesses, and governments increasingly recognize their benefits, microgrids are set to play a crucial role in the future of energy management worldwide.

  • Power for 10 Billion

    Hello, my name is Aaron Tushabe. I am a technologist based in Kampala, Uganda, and Texas, USA. My work with Nearly Free Energy (NFE)focuses on addressing one of the most pressing technological challenges of our time. Today, I want to talk about an impending crisis that our world is set to face over the next 40 years: how to sustainably power the homes, businesses, playgrounds, commutes, hospitals, schools, the communities of a global population expected to reach 10 billion by 2060. ⚡

    Let’s begin with two starkly contrasting images. The first shows bustling Nairobi city lit up by an abundance of energy—homes, businesses, and public infrastructure glowing under the night sky. The second image is of Texas during the February 2024 winter storm blackout: darkened streets, shuttered homes, and families huddling together for warmth in subfreezing temperatures.

    On a personal note, I was living in Texas in February 2024 and my house was without power and water for almost 2 weeks. And even when the outage was over, my electricity utility company declared bankruptcy and closed business due to the spikes in upstream electricity prices caused by the surge in demand from the storm. I’m pretty sure they were not the only business impacted.

    The Texas blackout wasn’t an anomaly. It was a wake-up call. Across the world, communities are facing rolling blackouts, energy shortages, and skyrocketing costs of electricity. In Uganda in March 2025 as the national grid management is being transitioned to another a state owned company from a private one, several communities are experiencing increased regular power outages. And according to the research, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Our current energy infrastructure is strained by demand. Without significant changes, we may be entering an era of energy poverty that could cripple economies, exacerbate inequality, and threaten the stability of our societies. ⚡❄️

    The Fragility of Our Energy System 🌎💡🛠️

    Do you ever wonder about the origin of the phrase “All roads lead to Rome”? It comes from the story of the Roman Empire’s road network. These roads were not merely paths; they were the lifelines of trade, communication, and military efficiency, enabling Rome to sustain an expansive and diverse empire. However, as the empire grew, maintaining and expanding this “Rome centric” infrastructure became increasingly difficult, contributing to its eventual decline and collapse. 🚧⚙️📜

    Similarly, the alarm bells are ringing for good reason. Energy demand is rising exponentially as global populations grow, urbanization accelerates, and technology (like AI) becomes more integrated into everyday life. Some projection models tell us that by 2050, the world’s energy consumption could double. Yet, our current energy systems are already strained. Power grids are aging, fossil fuels are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive, and the transition to renewable energy is lagging behind what is required to meet demand. Moreover, climate change—itself exacerbated by energy production—is making energy infrastructure more vulnerable to extreme weather events, as evidenced by hurricanes, heatwaves and winter storms. 🌪️🔥💧

    A Four-Part Blueprint for Energy Security 📝🌟🛠️

    Amid this grim outlook, there is hope. To ensure that we can sustainably power the communities of 10 billion people, we must adopt a four-part strategy that balances innovation, efficiency, resilience, and governance. Each of these approaches is fraught with challenges but is vital for a sustainable energy future. 🌞🌐💪🏿

    1. Investing in Renewable Energy Technologies 🌞⚡: Solar, wind, and other renewable technologies hold the key to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future. Technological advancements have made renewables more affordable and efficient, yet their adoption remains uneven. For instance, sub-Saharan Africa—blessed with abundant sunlight—lags in solar adoption due to lack of financing, infrastructure, and political will. Investment in localized, renewable solutions tailored to specific regional needs will be critical.
    2. Enhancing Energy Efficiency and Reducing Waste 🏠💡: Globally, we waste an astonishing amount of energy. From poorly insulated buildings to inefficient industrial practices, significant opportunities exist to do more with less. Retrofitting homes and businesses with energy-efficient appliances and smarter systems could cut energy use by 20-30%. Moreover, modernizing power grids to reduce transmission losses and deploying smart grid technology can optimize energy distribution and consumption.
    3. Strengthening Local Energy Resilience 🏘️🔋: The Texas blackout demonstrated the dangers of over-reliance on centralized systems. Local energy systems, such as microgrids and community-owned renewable projects, provide a buffer against large-scale failures. In rural Uganda, for example, solar microgrids have empowered entire communities by providing reliable and affordable electricity, creating a model for resilience that can be replicated globally.
    4. Proactive Governance and Regulation 📜🏛️: Governments play a crucial role in setting the frameworks for sustainable energy transitions. Subsidies for fossil fuels need to be redirected toward clean energy projects. Policies must encourage innovation while ensuring accountability for environmental impacts. Strong regulations can prevent disasters like the unchecked overloading of grids that contributed to the Texas blackout. Globally coordinated policies will also be essential to manage cross-border energy dependencies and resource sharing.

    Overcoming Criticism and Learning from Success 📖🌍💡

    These strategies are not without critics. Renewable energy is sometimes labeled unreliable or expensive; efficiency measures require upfront investment, localized systems face scalability concerns and regulatory frameworks are often slow to adapt to the fast-paced changes in the energy sector. However, success stories provide clear evidence of effectiveness 💭✅📈:

    India is another example of rapid growth in renewables, especially solar energy. Through ambitious targets and large-scale projects like the world’s largest solar park in Rajasthan, India has demonstrated significant scalability and affordability in renewable energy deployment.🌞🇮🇳

    China leads the world in renewable energy production, significantly investing in wind and solar power. China’s proactive policies and substantial financial backing have made it the global frontrunner in renewable energy capacity. ⚡🇨🇳

    A Balanced Investment Portfolio for Energy Security 💼📊🌱

    The key to solving the energy crisis lies in treating these strategies as complementary components of a balanced investment portfolio. Renewable energy technologies are akin to high-growth stocks—promising but requiring careful management to mitigate risks. Efficiency measures and local energy systems are the stable, low-risk investments that provide resilience during crises. Governance and regulation act as the legal safeguards, much like insurance policies, ensuring that the system remains secure and sustainable. 📈⚡🔒

    Your Role in Solving the Energy Crisis 🙋🏿‍♂️🌐💪🏿

    Addressing the global energy crisis requires collective action. Visit www.NearlyFreeEnergy.com to learn more about each of these strategies and how you can contribute locally and globally. Over the next year, we’ll release detailed videos and campaigns for each strategy, but we need your input. Vote on the strategy you believe deserves the most attention and share this message with your network. Together, we can drive the change needed to secure a sustainable energy future. 💡🌟📢

    The stakes could not be higher. If we fail to act, energy shortages, economic instability, and environmental degradation will become the defining crises of our time. But with the right strategies and the will to act, we can power the communities of 10 billion people and build a future of prosperity and sustainability.

    Thank you for taking time to read. 🌍⚡🤝🏿