Distributed renewable energy (DRE)
By integrating DRE into the power system you reach people faster — ramping up reliability, cutting carbon emissions, saving money, and building more resilient systems.
The scalability of mini grids and other DRE systems means that these systems can support emerging multi-kilowatt loads associated with smallholder farming, light commercial, community factories, and schools, as well as multi-megawatt loads on urban and semi-urban distribution circuits.
We can do this by cutting cost and making the leap to scale. At the heart of Global Energy Alliance, we:
- Build demonstration projects, to show what’s possible
- Develop pipelines, to aggregate the opportunity
- Support the ecosystem for scale: governments, developers, investors
Latest on DRE
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ReportsPartnerships for Power: Unlocking Scale for Interconnected Minigrids…Partnerships for Power: Unlocking Scale for Interconnected Minigrids…13.05.2025GlobalLatin America & Caribbean -
Press ReleaseRMI and GEAPP Reveal 10-Year Roadmap to 20+…RMI and GEAPP Reveal 10-Year Roadmap to 20+…15.06.2024Nigeria -
Press ReleaseThe Rockefeller Foundation, GEAPP, SEforALL Lead High-level Delegation…The Rockefeller Foundation, GEAPP, SEforALL Lead High-level Delegation…12.06.2024Nigeria
Our DRE projects
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Standalone systemsDistributed Renewable Energy for Agricultural Modalities (DREAM): Powering agriculture with private sector mini grids in EthiopiaStandalone systems -
All sectorsUtility-enabled distributed renewables: With utilities, deploying DREs at the grid edge to displace diesel and provide reliable power to businessesAll sectors -
Mini-gridsNuru: Equity investment to help Nuru close $70M finance and start building the next 13.7MW of metro grids in Eastern DRCMini-grids -
Mini-gridsRenewable Energy Access for Last mile (REAL): Working with the utility to replace diesel and electrify remote communities and islands across IndonesiaMini-grids -
Mini-gridsSmart Power Myanmar: Unlocking finance for distributed solar across MyanmarMini-grids -
All sectorsEnergizing agriculture and MSMEs: Supporting state governments to deploy hundreds of megawatts of power to farmers and small businessesAll sectors
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Mini-gridsAlina Eneji: Building mesh grids to electrify HaitiMini-grids
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Interconnected DREsResilient energy for critical facilities: Using DREs to build disaster resilience in the energy systemInterconnected DREs
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Standalone systemsSolar power for agriculture: Demonstrating renewable power solutions for agricultural value chains across the countryStandalone systems
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Mini-gridsEnergizing Agriculture Program: Showing the business models for deploying DREs with agricultureMini-grids
Let’s change energy
in Goma, DRC
Nuru, based in Goma, DRC, is one of Africa’s pioneering renewable energy-powered metrogrid companies. By delivering world-class renewable energy and connectivity services, Nuru aims to empower 5 million Congolese people, one connection at a time.
Meet Our Experts
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Edward BorgsteinEdward BorgsteinHead of SolutionsGlobal
Edward Borgstein
Head of SolutionsGlobalEdward is a Managing Director at GEAPP, focusing on Government Enablement & Country Delivery in Africa. With 14+ years in energy efficiency and renewables, he previously co-led RMI’s Africa Energy Program and founded a Brazilian energy consultancy. Edward holds a BA (Hons) and MEng in Engineering from the University of Cambridge.
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Suman SureshbabuSuman SureshbabuManaging Director, Demand, Jobs and LivelihoodsGlobal
Suman Sureshbabu
Managing Director, Demand, Jobs and LivelihoodsGlobalSuman has 20+ years of experience designing global programs that promote inclusive economic development in Africa and Asia. As a Managing Director at GEAPP, she leads efforts to ensure renewable energy investments improve jobs and livelihoods globally. Suman holds an MPA from Princeton and a BA from Johns Hopkins University.
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Victor OkindaVictor OkindaManager, DataAfrica
Victor Okinda
Manager, DataAfricaVictor is a renewable energy professional with ten years of experience in sub-Saharan Africa, developing wind, solar, and hydropower plants. At the Alliance, he focuses on expanding clean energy access and promoting innovations to reduce costs for underserved communities. He is also passionate about emerging technologies in energy and IoT.
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Makena IreriMakena IreriManaging DirectorAfrica
Makena Ireri
Managing DirectorAfricaMakena Ireri is the Managing Director of Energy & Opportunity at the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), where she leads global strategies to harness clean energy as a catalyst for inclusive economic growth. An energy specialist with more than 14 years of experience spanning nuclear power, renewable energy, and international development, she bridges technical expertise with systems-level approaches to development.
Her career began in nuclear energy generation in the UK, before moving into renewable energy and energy access in emerging markets. Over the past decade, she has led initiatives that connect clean energy to job growth, livelihood development, enterprise growth, women’s economic empowerment, and poverty reduction—working with partners such as the Rockefeller Foundation, Mastercard Foundation, Gates Foundation, IKEA Foundation, FCDO, and the World Bank, among others.
At GEAPP, Makena’s work sits at the intersection of energy and opportunity, ensuring that electrification fuels job creation, agricultural transformation, climate resilience, and improved quality of life. She has mobilized millions in funding to scale productive uses of energy as a driver of socio-economic empowerment, advised social enterprises across Africa, integrated energy solutions in humanitarian and low-income contexts, and contributed to global thinking on how energy access underpins socio-economic transformation.
Previously, Makena was Director of Clean Energy Access Research at CLASP, where she managed a multi-million dollar research portfolio on off-grid technologies and authored widely cited publications on the role of appliances in stimulating demand, advancing gender equity, and driving universal energy access.
Her engineering foundation, research leadership, and global advisory experience have made her a trusted voice in shaping strategies and partnerships for sustainable energy transitions. She is frequently engaged as a speaker, advisor, and thought leader, with a distinctive ability to connect technical rigor to the human and economic outcomes of energy access.
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Dennis NderituDennis NderituEnergy Systems DirectorAfrica
Dennis Nderitu
Energy Systems DirectorAfricaDennis Waweru Nderitu is the Manager for Energy Systems at GEAPP, providing technical support across partnerships and projects. Previously, he was the Technical Lead at Energy 4 Impact and managed solar projects at Davis & Shirtliff and PowerGen Renewable Energy. Dennis holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Kenya.
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Fauzia OkedijiFauzia OkedijiManager, DRENigeria
Fauzia Okediji
Manager, DRENigeriaFauzia Chevonne Okediji is the Manager of Utility Innovation at the Alliance, focusing on scaling distributed renewable energy solutions. With 13+ years in the power sector, she previously led the Interconnected Mini-Grid Acceleration Scheme at GIZ. Fauzia holds a Master’s in Engineering and is a certified Renewable Energy Professional.
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Roberto EstevezRoberto EstevezManager, Latin America and CaribbeanLatin America & Caribbean
Roberto Estevez
Manager, Latin America and CaribbeanLatin America & CaribbeanRoberto Estevez has 10+ years of experience in the energy sector, focusing on renewable energy and energy access across Latin America and beyond. He has led projects in Argentina, India, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, and Chile, and currently develops and implements GEAPP’s renewable energy, BESS, and decarbonization projects in LAC