ion Ventures Ltd (“ion”) is pleased to announce our collaboration with Zonke Energy (“Zonke”).

ion and Zonke have also successfully been awarded a grant supported by Innovate UK and DFID to develop a microgrid electrification system for a low-income urban community in South Africa, off grid. The project will receive support from the Energy Catalyst mechanism, designed to hit all three areas of the energy trilemma of:
• Cost
• Emissions
• Security of supply and energy access

In South Africa, nearly one million households live in urban informal settlements without grid-connected electricity. Zonke, supported by ion, intend to develop and operate a community electrification system that will build on an early prototype that Zonke has developed. The project will have a focus on empowering local partners and communities, promoting knowledge dissemination both within the local township, and local academic centres.

ion Director, Dan Taylor, commented “ion is very excited to work with Zonke on this important and defining project in South Africa, an expansion of ion Ventures’ global reach in the growing microgrid market”.

"The Energy Catalyst project is a great opportunity for us to build partnerships in the UK and reach communities in need of clean and affordable energy. We're excited that through this project, we'll also be able to build and extend our technology platform, improving our operations and scaling this critical sector” explained Alex Densmore, Technical Director for Zonke, South Africa.

For any further information please contact:

[email protected]