About Us

Promoting research, education and vocational training in renewable energy (RE) among Africans and non-Africans with a special focus and relationships with Africa.

ANSOLE e. V. is committed to education, research and knowledge transfer in the field of renewable energy and clean water at various levels in Africa. In doing so, we contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, Agenda 2030). ANSOLE has over 1000 members in more than 70 countries around the world. The events we organise raise awareness on environmental and climate protection, gender issues, energy efficiency, the link between clean sanitation and good education (especially for women), plastic in seas and oceans, and a general understanding of the SDGs. The strong water-energy nexus led to the creation of the BALEWARE (Bridging Africa, Latin America and Europe on Water and Renewable Energies Applications) cooperation and research platform in Curitiba, Brazil, in 2015.

Locally, in Jena and Thuringia, ANSOLE is involved in the AMAH project (German for contact point for people of African origin) and the publication of the magazine MIGRANTh (documentation of the life stories of people with a migration background in Thuringia before and after 1990).

Our Goals, Purpose & Objectives

We promote research, education and vocational training in renewable energy.

The three main goals of ANSOLE are:

  • Promote technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in renewable energy at different qualification levels (capacity building).
  • Promote research activities in renewable energies among African scientists and non-African scientists directly involved in the education and training of African students and professionals (capacity building).
  • Promotion and encouragement of the use of renewable energies in Africa (sustainable development and economy, environmental protection, etc).

ANSOLE promotes research, education and training in Renewable Energy (RE) among Africans and non-Africans with a special focus and relationship with Africa. We promote the use of RE for the benefit of social and economic development in Africa and for the protection of the environment through:

  • Education and vocational training of African technicians, scientists, experts and students
  • Exchange of students and visiting scientists
  • Joint research work with various funding institutions
  • Joint publications
  • Organising workshops, conferences and meetings in Africa.
  • Organising and implementing of RE programmes for post-graduate students.
  • Promoting capacity building in the use of RE in Africa for all.
  • Supporting the creation of national renewable energy associations/networks.
  • Setting-up of a database of scientists, scientific institutions and comanies working in the RE sector in Africa.
  • Supporting the establishment of regional vocational training and education centres on RE in different regions of Africa.
Our Initiatives

To achieve our goals, we are willing to work with existing initiatives

ANSOLE is legally represented by ANSOLE e.V., a non-profit and non-governmental organisation, registered at the local court in Jena, Germany. The registration number is VR231505. The by-laws of ANSOLE e.V. can be downloaded here.

Structure of ANSOLE:

  • General assembly
  • Advisory board
  • Board of ANSOLE e.V.
  • Coordination office
  • Regional representative
  • National representatives
  • Focal points at various institutions of learning
  • active members

ANSOLE is the 73rd ICTP (The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics) network since November 4 November 2011. This brings a number of benefits to the network scientists. ICTP support to a network is defined in http://oea.ictp.it/oea/programmes/net/:

Support for a network will be provided through the coordinated use of existing ICTP and TWAS programmes:

  1. Visits by scientists to network members of the network through the ICTP Visiting Scholar/Consultant Programme or the TWAS South-South Fellowship Programme
  2. Contribution to equipment costs through the TWAS Research Grant Programme;
  3. Donation of books and journals through the ICTP-TWAS Donation Programme;
  4. Scientific activities (e.g. workshops and conferences, etc.) within the framework of the OEA Scientific Meetings Programme.

The ICTP support towards a network is offered under the same criteria as other OEA programmes, namely:

  • Scientific validity of the research project;
  • Relevance of the project to the needs and culture of the region;
  • Evidence of commitment from local authorities.
Launching of ANSOLE in Linz/Austria 4th of February 2011

As scientists, we are determined to conduct research that has immediate practical applications by opening and broadening the energy agenda and systematically incorporating renewable energy. If we are to protect our environment for future generations, it is imperative that we identify and develop sustainable energy sources.

This is where solar energy and other forms of renewable energy have a huge role to play. If we want to future-proof our planet, compared to the scarcity and damage of fossil fuels, solar energy has an unlimited and indefinite supply potential and can be harnessed with less negative impact on the environment. Therefore, both research involving all stakeholders and production with economies of scale are crucial and cannot be delayed any longer.

This is why we have created the African Network for Solar Energy (ANSOLE), an initiative by African scientists for Africa and the world. ANSOLE is a platform for exchange between different stakeholders, committed to promoting the use of different forms of renewable energy in a concerted manner to address the acute energy problem in Africa, while preserving and protecting the environment.
Launching of ANSOLE e.V. in 11th of September 2011
Background

For a very long time, much of the world’s energy needs have been met by digging oil wells and mines and plundering the earth’s resources, regardless of the detrimental effects on the environment. It is vital that we think ahead and find alternative, sustainable sources of energy that are less damaging to our planet. The potential for renewable energy is huge and the African continent is blessed with an abundance of sunlight. Parts of the Sahara alone can generate enough electricity to meet the world’s energy needs, provided that sound knowledge and research is applied and a robust infrastructure is put in place to capture, store, distribute, maintain and utilise this renewable energy source. With foresight, determination, dedication and commitment, we can build a long-term energy supply with economies of scale and scope.

ANSOLE’s position on Africa-related energy issues is consistently sought after by many reputable press outlets. For example, just a few months after our founding, our skeptical stance on the DESERTEC project was published in the New York Times on June 20, 2011.
Since our creation in 2011, we organised more than 30 scientific events (conferences, workshops, summer schools) in several countries in Africa (Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda…) and Europe (Germany, Austria). By supporting and providing information through various dissemination channels (websites, social media, e-publications), ANSOLE also enables other organisations to organise events.