The University of Sheffield is working to develop batteries for Africa

Engineers have developed longer-lasting batteries to help communities in Africa.

The University of Sheffield said more than 740 million people worldwide do not have access to electricity.

MOPO batteries were designed by Sheffield battery technology company Mobile Power.

They can provide power for cooking appliances, refrigerators and charging mobile phones.

The batteries can help “connect communities to electricity,” the university said.

Dan Gladwin, professor of electronic and electrical engineering, said: “More than 740 million people worldwide do not have access to electricity and for many communities off-grid or those with unstable power grids, the only reliable sources of power possible gasoline is available. and diesel generators”.

He said these were often expensive and could be “dangerous and harmful” to the environment.

“Smart batteries can play a major role in helping connect communities to electricity. They are clean, safe and can be much cheaper than petrol and diesel generators”.

People will be able to rent the batteries when needed through a cloud-based platform rental system and they will be charged at solar-powered hubs.

Engineers from the university have been working with Mobile Power since 2017 by sharing their electrical engineering skills to help the company extend the life of its battery cells.

More than 14 million MOPO batteries have already been leased in Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Chad and Uganda.

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