About Us
SEMWaves build and lease microgrids that are optimized for the needs of remote rural communities in the Global South.
Our products have the lowest O&M needs and the greatest reliability of any on the market, thus reducing risk and maximising sustained impact for our customers.
SEMWaves
Our vision is to provide electricity to off-grid communities in remote areas of Bangladesh (such as the Chittagong Hill Tracts) and other developing nations in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Our mission has three facets:
- Becoming a leading mini/micro-grid operator for remote off-grid communities of Bangladesh and other developing nations;
- Contributing to national and global initiatives to increase the share of green energy in electricity production/ consumption;
- Enabling access to reliable, affordable, clean and continuous (24/7) electricity for poor and deprived communities in off-grid areas
Our Story
SEMWaves was formed in 2018 with the goal of providing renewable energy technologies to accelerate rural electrification.
In 2019, we conducted a GCRF funded survey into the energy usage habits of villagers in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh.
Seeing widespread dissatisfaction with Solar-Home-Systems (SHSs), poor energy availability, and excessive costs, we developed a proprietary design for an all-weather low-cost sustainable microgrid.
In 2020, we receivied a larger grant from InnovateUK in order to deploy a demonstration of our technology. In Q1 2021 we turned the lights on for the first time, bringing power to a hundred houses, businesses, and places of worship.
In Q3 2021 we received a InnovateUK grant to explore our products potential in similar regions. Through 2022 we will be identifying candidate villages for our microgrids and securing public & private sector partnerships.
If you are interested in leasing a microgrid, getting your village electrified sustainably, or learning more about our business, we invite you to click the button below.
Background
1. THE TASK
Total Rural Electrification in South Asia
South Asian nations continue to face challenges bringing electricity to their most remote communities.
On the indian subcontinent, 100 million rural people live without access to electricity.
This chronic lack of power impedes growth.
2. THE CHALLENGE
Sustainability vs. Upfront Costs
Grid extension to remote regions is prohibitively expensive. Governments cannot justify transmission line construction at $10,000s per km to meet the energy demands of distant villages.
Cheap solar lanterns and solar home systems (SHSs) can provide for basic needs, but they have limited uses and last for only a few years. Too often, villagers are left to pick up the bill for donated systems when they break.
A 2019 survey revealed that every existing user in a rural region of Bangladesh had complaints about their SHSs, and 80% would be willing to pay for a better alternative.
3. THE SOLUTION
Clean, affordable energy - generation and storage
Our microgrid has been specially designed to meet the needs of rural Global South villages. Low maintenance requirement and long-term cost are prioritised to ensure that the system fits the economic circumstance of customers.
SEMWaves microgrids are driven by an array of renewables selected based on local resources. Environmentally hazardous lead-acid batteries are replaced with cleaner and longer lived alternatives, while a patented rain-harvest system ensures year-round energy availability.