The Global Final took place from 1 to 4 December 2025, at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and was held in conjunction with the Southern Power Electronics Conference (SPEC). The official EBL Awards and Reception followed on 5 December.

Recognizing Innovation in Circular Energy Systems

The award highlights the SEED Center’s work in the Kyampisi Living Lab (Uganda), where we co-develop integrated, community-driven energy solutions. The CPUE model “closes the loop” between energy, water, and productive use by leveraging a solar mini-grid as the backbone of a circular system that includes:

• A solar irrigation system to enhance agricultural production
• A solar milling unit for local crop processing
• A briquette machine converting milling residues into clean cooking fuel

Acknowledgements

We extend our sincere appreciation to the SEED Center team members whose commitment and expertise made this achievement possible: Prof. Dr. Frank-Martin Belz, Dr. Alessia Argiolas, Saltanat Kuntuarova, Francis Mujjuni (PhD), Dr. Betty Nabuuma, Nitin Akhade, and Olivia Kiwanuka.

We also thank our partner and, above all, the community in Kyampisi for their collaboration and trust.

About the Competition

IEEE Empower a Billion Lives, an initiative of the IEEE Power Electronics Society, is a global competition that promotes scalable, sustainable, and impactful solutions for energy access. It brings together companies, academic institutions, NGOs, and innovators working to address the challenge of providing affordable, reliable energy to the one billion people currently living in energy poverty.

The SEED Center will continue advancing and scaling the CPUE model across its Living Labs, contributing to SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy and to sustainable rural development.

The SEED Center's CPUE approach is presented in our short film “Closing the Loop – Circular Productive Use of Energy in Kyampisi (Uganda).”