Keeling Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

The African E-Bike project aims to introduce sustainable, affordable solar-powered e-bikes as a form of transportation on the African continent. The non-profit organisation European Institute for Sustainable Transport (EURIST) e.V. has been working with its African partners since 2010 to improve conditions for local cyclists and identified the need for a cost-effective alternative to fossil-fueled motorcycles. In 2017, EURIST e.V. started the African E-Bike project in collaboration with its Ugandan partner, FABIO. The result of their efforts is the "AfricroozE" e-bike, which is highly durable, can carry a load of over 100 kg, has a range of 30 to 50 km, (depending on the battery) and is mainly powered by solar energy. The e-bike is designed to serve marginalised communities in rural and urban areas in East Africa by serving as an e-bike taxi, ambulance, and a cargo bike for transporting goods to and from the market. Since March 2022, the first 100 e-bikes were piloted in Uganda. Since November 2022, AfricroozE e-bikes have also been piloted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania as a greener urban deliveries alternative.

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Replaces/avoids GHGs (e.g., projects that replace sources of GHGs, such as the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat, transport, or other energy uses), Reduces GHGs (e.g., projects that reduce sources of GHGs, such as through efficiency or other changes in consumption)
The use of e-bikes powered by solar energy, like the AfricroozE, can have a significant impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions on the African continent. In many African countries, transportation is a major contributor to air pollution and carbon emissions. According to the Paris Declaration on E-Mobility and Climate Change & Call to Action (2015), the transport sector is responsible for about one quarter of greenhouse gas emission and this number is expected to increase considerably as the demand for transportation grows along with the population and urbanisation.Internal combustion engine motorcycles, which are commonly used in African countries are major sources of harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. These emissions contribute to air pollution and global warming, causing negative impacts on public health and the environment. Furthermore, internal combustion engines only have an efficiency percentage of around 11-27%, when looking at the well-to-wheel energy usage. The rest of the energy is mostly lost by heat generation during the combustion process. On the contrary, electric motors have an efficiency rate of 40-70% (Ya≈üar Demirel, 2018) with much less energy loss. The AfricroozE offers a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to these traditional transportation methods. E-bikes produce zero emissions during operation and are much more environmentally friendly compared to gasoline-powered vehicles. Furthermore, the use of solar energy to power e-bikes reduces the dependence on fossil fuels, which are the main source of greenhouse gas emissions.Sources:Paris Declaration on Electro-Mobility and Climate Change. 2015. Available online: https://unfccc.int/media/521376/pariselectro-mobility-declaration.pdf (accessed on 15 December 2020)Albatayneh, A., Assaf, M. N., Alterman, D., & Jaradat, M. (2020). Comparison of the Overall Energy Efficiency for Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles and Electric Vehicles. In Environmental and Climate Technologies (Vol. 24, Issue 1, pp. 669‚Äì680). Walter de Gruyter GmbH. https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2020-0041

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In Uganda, many young men move to the cities to earn money as boda boda (motorcycle-taxi) drivers, by renting a motorcycle and buying minimal amounts of gasoline. These men are hardly able to break the vicious cycle of poverty, as the rental price of the motorbike does not allow them to earn enough money for any kind of savings. With the AfricroozE, the boda boda riders are able to become the owners of their own e-bike after 2-3 years via a microcredit, and are not affected by global gasoline price increases.

In rural areas, access to medical centres is difficult and challenging for pregnant women, children, and the elderly, as medical help is often many kilometres away and mobility can be very limited. E-bikes with ambulance trailers can offer a cheap, sustainable and life-saving solution to people in need living in remote areas.

The cultural domain also includes gender inequalities with women not being allowed to ride bicycles or motorbikes in central Uganda and the Kampala region. Equipping women groups with an e-bike gives them more autonomy and allows them to carry water or their produce around more easily. Moreover, women can rent out their e-bikes for a small monetary amount, providing them more financial autonomy if wanted.

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