Beatrice Mfula

Zambian renewable energy innovator expanding electrification in rural Africa

Beatrice Mfula (b. 1990) is transforming energy access across sub-Saharan Africa through her company Sunrise Energy Solutions. Her solar microgrid systems now power 230,000 households in Zambia and Malawi, reducing kerosene use by 85% in rural areas. The 2022 winner of Africa's Climate Innovation Prize, she developed the Pay-As-You-Go Solar Kit - a $5/month financing model enabling 500,000 low-income families to access clean energy.

Her 2023 partnership with UNICEF created Africa's first solar-powered school networks, providing electricity and internet to 1,200 rural schools. The Women in Energy Leadership Program she founded has trained 3,000 African women as solar engineers since 2020. Mfula's 2024 off-grid smart grid technology allows real-time energy management, reducing losses by 40% in pilot regions.

Her advocacy led to Zambia's 2023 Renewable Energy Act, mandating 30% renewable targets by 2030. Current projects include the Africa Sun Belt Initiative, aiming to connect 50 million households to solar systems by 2030. Featured in National Geographic's 2024 climate solutions series, her work has cut CO2 emissions by 1.2 million tons annually.