From atoms to energy,
building equitable access
to energy in Africa
The Renewable Energy Materials (REM) Laboratory advances materials science for clean and affordable solar energy, developing novel nanomaterials to enhance photovoltaic technologies across Africa.
Powering Africa's Clean Energy Future — One Material at a Time
Advancing materials science for clean energy
Millions of people across Africa continue to face challenges in accessing reliable electricity. While solar power offers a promising pathway, many existing photovoltaic technologies like traditional silicon rely on materials that are costly, unstable, or poorly suited to African environments.
REM Lab addresses these challenges by designing and studying advanced nanomaterials that show great promise for creating low-cost, efficient, and adaptable solar energy solutions. Our research helps bring science closer to the energy needs of real communities.
Our Approach
Our vision is to advocate for an Africa where all people can access clean and affordable energy.
Our mission is to advance innovative materials research for renewable energy technologies, enabling communities to access affordable and climate-safe energy.
Our approach therefore focuses on three key areas:
Energy solutions for Africa
Advance locally responsive novel nanomaterials for application in photovoltaic devices.
Capacity strengthening
Develop a cohort of researchers to meet and respond to the growing landscape of the African renewable energy sector.
Multidisciplinary collaboration
Partner with local and international partners, government, and industry actors to develop locally relevant materials innovation for Africa's renewable sector and energy needs.
Research
Our research designs and develops novel nanomaterials tailored for next-generation solar cells, driving improvements in efficiency, stability, and scalability.
Design and synthesis
Developing and testing advanced nanostructured materials to enhance the performance and durability of emerging photovoltaics.
Systems intergration
Exploring the electronic, optical, and structural behavior of these materials to guide solar device design.
Collaboration and scalling
Partnering with research institutes and the industry to advance renewable energy solar materials from lab-based discovery to scalable.
Publications
Explore our latest research contributions to renewable energy materials science and photovoltaic technology advancement.
For a full list of our publications, please visit Google Scholar.
Computational and experimental investigation of the structure, morphology, optical and electrical properties of TiO2 and caffeine adsorbed TiO2 in methyl ammonium lead iodide
Dieketseng Tsotetsi, Luyanda Noto, David Idisi, Evans Benecha, Mokhotjwa Dhlamini, Pontsho Mbule
Materials Today Communications, 2024