Energy Private Developers Association (EPD), higher learning institutions and Technical and Vocational Education Training institutions (TVETs) are collaborating to bridge the gap between innovation and research intervention from academia and the energy industry in Rwanda.

On April 3, EPD organized a stakeholder’s engagement workshop at the University of Rwanda College of Science and Technology (CST), bringing together stakeholders from government, the private sector, universities and TVET institutions in Rwanda and those affiliated with Rwanda’s energy landscape to discuss the solutions.

The workshop was graced by EPD Executive Chairman,Dr. Ivan Twagirashema. Ignace Gatare, the Principal of UR’s College of Science and Technology, said that the partnership with EPD and other stakeholders will enable them to find solutions in addressing the gap between academia and industry.

Gatare said: "Talking about bridging the gap between academia and the energy industry, we can look at the history of successful countries in terms of research and technology advancement, and you will find that the strategic partnership between the academia and industry has been the bedrock of the growth, The engagement workshop is an opportunity to reflect, and also thank Energy Private Developers who is our strong partner to contribute to the university’s growth particularly the energy discipline.”

He emphasized that through collaborative work and working together with partners, "we can find sustainable solutions to the challenges the energy sector is facing.”

"If we talk about sustainable development goals, we also talk about affordable and clean energy. This requires bridging the gap between academia and the energy industry. Growth of the energy sector is one of the sources of money. Our students can go into entrepreneurship in the energy sector. We need academia-industry collaboration around applied research and innovation in the energy industry, and discuss needs in the industry with the private sector. We can do skills gap assessment together in this sector. Our students will have industrial attachment in the energy industry through collaboration,” Gatare said.

University of Rwanda also hosts the African Center Excellence of Energy for Sustainable Development (ACEESD) which, he said, can help advance partnership in research and innovation.

Gatare said the centre has a Grid Innovation and Incubation Hub (GIIH) to support students with innovative project ideas.

"This centre supports capacity building and research in renewable energy discipline, electrical power systems, and energy economics. That is a platform to allow us advance research for it to be impactful and relevant, the private sector must be associated with it to bridge the gap between academia and industry,” he said.

Expectations of University Innovation Pod

The workshop was held at University Innovation Pod (UNIPOD) in the University of Rwanda’s College of Science and Technology (CST).

UNIPOD, a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funded initiative, aims at promoting innovation, inter-disciplinary research, and nurturing the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs in the university.

Jacqueline Mukayiranga, the Acting Director of UNIPOD, said that the space came at a time when the university had different incubation hubs such as Grid Innovation and Incubation Hub, Internet of Things Hub, Data Science Hub, and other which were lacking some infrastructure where the students can come and create things.

"The goal of UNIPOD is to foster creativity, innovations among students, and researchers without forgetting the community and the private sector. We have more than nine labs equipped with 21st century machines, and different equipment to foster innovation. The private sector can come and work with students and staff to come up with solutions using these materials. Academia and the private sector can come together using UNIPOD space to bridge the gap,” she said.

Students who have benefitted from UNIPOD shared the success stories of their projects. Josee Ishimwe, a University of Rwanda graduate who is an incubatee in UNIPOD, is making nursery and primary learning materials from paper waste by using equipment powered by solar energy in production.

Another innovator, Marie Alice Uwingabire, a final year student studying electrical engineering at the College of Science and Technology, said she is using grid and solar power to produce briquettes [small blocks used as fuel] from waste which is considered as clean cooking energy.

"UNIPOD helped us to get equipment to increase the production of briquettes used instead of wood charcoal and thus reduce deforestation. We also produce improved cooking stoves that use these briquettes,” she said.

Thierry Byiringiro, another student, produces briquettes and wood gas (gas produced from carbonizing wood) from wood residues. "After getting cooking gas from wood, the leftovers are made into briquettes,” he said.

Jean Marie Dushiminana, a University of Rwanda researcher, said that they developed a device that enables the use of both national grid and solar power as it can use one when either is not available.

According to Pascal Nyiringabo, the Managing Director of Grid Innovation Hub at the College of Science and Technology, working with the private sector in the energy industry will further boost research by academia to find technologies needed by the market.

"The research must have an impact. We used to teach theory and therefore we need to bridge the gap. We have to graduate startups to respond to challenges in the community. We have to reach a level of training, and certification as a hub. We have to enter into an agreement with the private sector in mini-grid for example to work together” he said.

Damien Frame, the Global Renewables Center (GRC) project manager, said they are working with EPD to facilitate knowledge exchange between stakeholders in Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia and the Scottish Renewables Sector.

"By enabling improved networking between academic institutions in each of these countries, the GRC aims to support improved collaboration around common challenge areas. The GRC will form multi-disciplinary communities of practice that includes stakeholders from academia, industry and the sector or any other entity not in academia or energy sectors. By sharing best practices on models for academic-industry collaboration and linking to international funding opportunities, the expected outcome is to unlock increased research funding for these collaborations,” he said.

Ehudi Shingiro, the Manager of Standards For Sustainability Consultancy, a company which does consultancy in clean cooking energy, who also heads the clean cooking sub-sector at EPD, added that the private sector in the energy industry needs to work with the academia to ensure sustainability of technologies that are deployed on the market.

"For instance, to ensure biogas project sustainability we need to work together with academia and researchers to find a solution with updated technology. We need sustainability centres in communities to ensure the technologies do not die and produce more that are affordable to citizens,” he said.

Serge Wilson Muhizi, the Chief Executive Officer of EPD, said that for academic and TVET institutions to play a direct and significant role in the energy sector, "there is a need for them to align with the energy private sector so that their interventions are demand driven in research projects, courses and trainings offered which would increase their relevance in the energy sector.”

"We have a research and innovation sub-sector at EPD. We need the private sector backed or guided by research in academia, by higher learning institutions to get solutions in the energy industry. There is still a gap in the curriculum because the private sector says some graduates are not competent given what the labour market needs. We should bridge that gap between the private sector and academia,” he said.