The development and demonstration of a unique low cost scalable PV technology for international development.

Big Solar Limited (BSL) is developing Power Roll (PR) that is a ground breaking, ultra-low cost and ultra-lightweight solar
photovoltaic (PV) solution. The design of PR represents a breakthrough in the challenge of generating renewable energy
at a cost cheaper than hydrocarbons and 40% lower than silicon PV. This is a disruptive technology with the potential to
transform the lives of 1.2 billion people without access to electricity as well helping the UK in delivering its carbon reduction
targets.
Sir Joseph Swan Centre for Energy Research at Newcastle University aims to deploy this ground-breaking solar PV in Sub-
Saharan Africa. A two stage deployment of first generation Power Roll product will address the needs of rural off-grid
communities in African markets. Many of these communities are still without electrical power and the limited Electric Power
Infrastructure within these countries offers a dim outlook for immediate delivery of grid-based power to these communities.
This makes off-grid electricity supply and storage solutions an invaluable transitional solution that could have an immediate
impact on the quality of life of these communities. The proposed deployment of first generation PV rolls will integrate a
small and subsequently medium size Power Roll to enable solar electricity generation aimed at operating portable or
irrigation water pumping duties, or the processing of harvested crops (for instance drying) to eliminate post-harvest food
losses which is of great concern and a major cause of hunger and poverty in SSA rural communities. The project will
continue to monitor system performance and compiled data will be analysed to characterise system performance, allow PV
deployment system design and facilitate product roll-outs across under-developed rural communities.

Vast amounts of agricultural produce are wasted in the post-harvest phase in the Sub-Saharan African countries as a result of inadequate food processing and preservation. Postharvest losses in the food chain are estimated to range from about 15% for cereals up to 50% for fresh fruit and vegetables in some developing countries. This can be eliminated if the rural communities that are impacted most had access to power and processing equipment that could eliminate the vast amounts of food waste that continues to beleaguer these under-developed communities. Ultra-cheap and ultra-light weight electricity generation products can assist the processing of food in such communities. In addition such cheap and easy to maintain engineering solutions will also facilitate the training and development of the local people who could undertake system design and maintenance with adequate support and product provision.
Sir Joseph Swan Centre for Energy Research (Swan Centre) has established research and collaboration links with KNUST-Kumasi (Ghana), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT - Kenya), NJALA University (Sierra Leone), Stellebosch University (South Africa) as well as NGOs such as Practical Action Consulting (PAC) in Kenya
and Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA) in Sierra Leone. Swan centre is currently developing CFD models to optimise hybrid biomass and solar dryer designs in Sub-Saharan Africa context. The centre will seek to facilitate the deployment of Power Rolls within or alongside the food processing solutions such as the aforementioned solar dryer or in
similar food processing capacity in order to improve the reliability and operational time of the solar dryer and assist rural communities in processing and preserving of their agricultural produce and reduce food waste. Swan Centre will also seek to identify and deploy Power Rolls to undertake water pumping duties that facilitate the delivery of either irrigation or
potable water to these communities.
The generation and availability of off-grid power using ultra-cheap PV rolls will enhance the livelihood, sustainability, independence and capability of rural communities in Africa by enabling them to preserve a much greater proportion of their agricultural produce, eliminate hunger that continues to threaten these communities in dry seasons. Deploying the
aforementioned PV rolls to undertake water pumping duties will also ensure security of water supply to these communities and liberate individuals (mostly women) who are tasked with manual collection, transport and storage (or delivery) of potable (or irrigation) water.