SEMA stands for “Sustainable Energy Market Acceleration” and is a four year project funded by the EU Energy Facility and HIVOS, and implemented by Triodos Facet, Friends Consult Uganda and Integral Advisory Kenya. The project kicked off in September 2011.

The overall objective of the project is to increase access to affordable and sustainable energy services for rural and peri-urban low-income communities in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The SEMA project stimulates the use of renewable energy solutions among the rural population in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. SEMA aims to accelerate the renewable energy market by supporting and linking energy businesses and financial institutions serving rural markets.

The project focuses on renewable energy technologies suitable for households and micro-enterprises such as solar home systems, small-scale biogas and wind-energy. Practically, SEMA supports partnerships between MFIs and rural energy entrepreneurs, where both parties agree on clear definition of responsibilities, product quality and warranties, secured supply, maintenance, and marketing.