Emmanuel Otoo

Ghanaian engineer pioneering solar energy solutions to eradicate energy poverty in rural West Africa

Emmanuel Otoo is a Ghanaian renewable energy innovator whose company Solar 3Zero has transformed access to electricity in West Africa's rural regions. Launched in 2021, the company's modular solar systems now power over 200 villages across Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso. Otoo's designs prioritize affordability and sustainability, using locally sourced materials to create solar panels costing 40% less than imported alternatives. His Pay-As-You-Go payment model allows families earning under $2/day to access clean energy through mobile payments. This approach has enabled 85% of customers to transition from kerosene lamps to solar power within 18 months.

Otoo's engineering breakthrough came with the development of the Solar Microgrid in a Box, a pre-assembled system that can be installed in 4 hours by non-specialists. This innovation reduced installation costs by 60% and earned him the 2022 Green Heroes Award. His partnership with UNICEF has brought solar-powered health clinics to 120 rural communities, enabling critical medical services like vaccine refrigeration. Otoo's TEDxAccra talk "Lighting the Dark Continent Sustainably" inspired 500+ young engineers to join the renewable energy sector.

By 2024, Solar 3Zero had prevented 12,000 tons of CO2 emissions while creating 300+ green jobs. Otoo's next project, the Solar Irrigation Initiative, uses solar pumps to increase crop yields by 300% for smallholder farmers. Recognized as one of Time Magazine's 2023 Heroes of the Environment, his work directly supports UN Sustainable Development Goals 7 (Affordable Energy) and 13 (Climate Action). Collaborations with MIT's D-Lab have led to patent-pending solar storage technologies now being tested in 5 African countries.