Our story started more than 15 years ago. Since then, we have seen many interesting places, realised many great projects, and been involved in the development of some groundbreaking concepts for the minigrid sector. See here the most important steps of our journey…
Three young engineers (Nico, Jakob and Holger) start the INENSUS GmbH based in Clausthal-Zellerfeld, a spin-off from Clausthal University of Technology, Germany, as a service provider for INtegrated ENergy SUpply Systems and decentralized power supply.
The founders acquire the first engineering contracts in the minigrid field with a focus on minigrid design.
As its first product, the company develops, manufactures and distributes the AEOLOG, a complete wind and solar monitoring system with 10 and 15m telescopic poles tailored to small-scale wind turbines and detailed site potential analysis for off-grid hybrid systems.
Engineering services for various developers and manufacturers of small-scale wind turbines represents the first solid source of income for the young company.
INENSUS leaves Clausthal University of Technology and moves its headquarters to Goslar, Germany, under the umbrella of the Energy Research Centre of Lower Saxony.
The company enters into a public-private-partnership with GIZ GmbH to carry out a feasibility study for a wind-solar-diesel minigrid pilot project in Senegal.
INENSUS develops the ‘Micro Power Economy’ as an award-winning business model and risk management tool for minigrid operators.
INENSUS develops the ‘Micro Utility Solution’ as a smart metering and demand side management device for minigrids (later to be transferred to the ‘MicroPowerManager’ software solution for minigrid operations management).
Foundation of subsidiary ENERSA Energie Rurale Sahélienne S.A. as joint venture with MATFORCE CSI in Dakar, Senegal to develop and operate minigrids in West Africa.
ENERSA starts its business operations in Senegal developing a pilot minigrid project based on an extended public-private-partnership with GIZ GmbH.
The expansion of engineering services in the field of small-scale wind turbines and the development of related products such as electronic safety systems and wind monitoring systems lead to a growth in turnover and staff.
Installation and commissioning of a pilot minigrid in the Senegalese village Sine Moussa Abdou with a 5 kW wind turbine, 5 kWp solar and a 11 kVA diesel generator, serving 1,000 people with reliable power.
INENSUS is honoured with the ‘SEED Award 2010 for the development of the Micro Power Economy business model’.
The medium-sized electronics and software company Sieb & Meyer AG from Lüneburg, Germany, joins INENSUS GmbH as an additional shareholder.
Preparation of the project ‘MicroPower 30’ aimed at electrifying 30 rural communities in Senegal with financial support from the Daey Ouwens Fund.
INENSUS is honoured with the ‘IKU innovation price 2010 in the category of technology transfer’.
INENSUS is honoured with the ‘National Energy Globe Award 2011 for Senegal’.
ENERSA implements another 5 minigrid projects in Senegal.
Changes in the German Renewable Energy Sources Act and other European countries reduce opportunities for small-scale wind turbine application in Europe. As a result, INENSUS restructures its business model to focus on consulting and engineering services around minigrids.
INENSUS is honoured with the ‘European Business Award for the Environment 2012’.
INENSUS conducts a prefeasibility study for the development of a micro utility in Tanzania in collaboration with TerraProjects.
INENSUS leads a consortium that has been awarded EUR 7.4 million in co-funding by the European Commission under the ACP-II to develop the project ‘MicroPower Economy – Tanzania rollout’ (electrification of up to 80k people).
Foundation of JUMEME Rural Power Supply Ltd. based in Mwanza, Tanzania, as a micro utility with the joint venture partners St. Augustine University of Tanzania and TerraProjects to implement the project ‘MicroPower Economy – Tanzania rollout’ and more.
Installation and commissioning of a pilot minigrid on Ukara Island, Lake Victoria, with 60 kWp PV and a 30 kVA diesel genset to supply reliable electricity to 5,000 people.
INENSUS supports the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in the design of the Rural Renewable Energy Project (RREP), a US$ 40m minigrid program, funded by DFID, to electrify 94 villages in Sierra Leone and develop capacities of governmental organizations.
The Minigrid Regulations of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission are published, developed by INENSUS under the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (subcontracted by INTEGRATION GmbH and funded by GIZ).
INENSUS opens a project office in Freetown, Sierra Leone, with 2 international and 3 national staff to support the implementation of the RREP.
The minigrid consulting team is relocated from Goslar to Berlin and subsequently successively expanded.
Development of the KeyMaker Model as a Rural Industrialisation approach to unlock economic potential of value chains as a complementary source of revenue to electricity sales for minigrid operators.
Implementation of a Tilapia fish farming and trading KeyMaker Model with JUMEME in Lake Victoria minigrids in Tanzania.
The Minigrid Regulations of the Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission are ratified by the Sierra Leonean Parliament and published by the Commission, developed by INENSUS under the RREP.
INENSUS opens a project office in Lomé with 2 international and 2 national staff as part of the ProEnergie project implemented by GIZ to support the Togolese government in the development of its minigrid sector.
INENSUS releases the MicroPowerManager Open Source, a software solution for decentralized utility management.
INENSUS moves into the application of Artificial Intelligence and Stochastic Optimisation with the aim of making the operation and maintenance of minigrids even more efficient.
Foundation of the VoltaLabs GmbH, in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute for Fiber Optical Sensor Systems, as service provider for battery testing and manufacturing based in Goslar, Germany.
Foundation of Volt-Terra Ltd., a joint venture with Gourmet Gardens (U) Ltd., as micro utility implementing a rural industrialization approach based on a vanilla/chili KeyMaker Model in Uganda.
Patenting a concept for overcoming demand risk in minigrids by consuming surplus electricity in decentralised crypto miners based on artificial intelligence and stochastic optimisation.
Release of our new Corporate Design and new website.
Our ever-growing team is made up of highly skilled, motivated and open-minded people from diverse backgrounds who are passionate about delivering our shared vision.
Team members
Nationalities
Spoken languages
Average age
Women
Men
Energy Access Specialist
Berlin, Germany
Andrea holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, and a Master’s degree in Business Energy Engineering from the Technische Universität Berlin. She has more than five years of experience in the field of decentralised renewable energy and served as Planning and Development Specialist at the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) in Cairo, Egypt. Before joining us in 2019, she was Head of Operations for JUMEME Rural Power Supply Ltd. in Tanzania. Andrea is fluent in English, Catalan, Spanish, German and has a strong base in Arabic.
Energy Access Specialist
Berlin, Germany
Aslan joined us in 2017, after obtaining his bachelor’s degree in Power Systems Engineering from Clausthal University of Technology, Germany. With a strong background on the technical and financial aspects of decentralized energy systems, he has been recently specializing on digitalisation in the minigrid sector at all levels: from developing customized planning tools, over implementing autonomous operation schemes and remote management and monitoring solutions. Next to his work, Aslan is studying his master’s degree at Technische Universität Berlin, including courses in data science and machine learning. He is currently based in Berlin and speaks German, English and Dari.
Energy Access Specialist
Berlin, Germany
Christopher holds a Master’s in Business Management & Entrepreneurship Renewable Energy from the University of Applied Science Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, Germany. He has been with us for 3 years and was previously a working student for 3 years and a project manager for 6 months at TÜV SÜD AG in the field of electromobility. He was actively involved in the establishment of our subsidiary Volt-Terra in Uganda and is responsible for the technical design of minigrids, the preparation and evaluation of tenders and the development of policies in various projects. Christopher is based in Berlin, he speaks German and English.
Senior Energy Access Specialist
Goslar, Germany
An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by training with a master’s degree in Renewable Energy, Dipta has been working in the minigrid sector for more than ten years. He has been managing multiple projects for our clients, with experience of working with organisations like UNOPS, GIZ, JICA, ADB, the World Bank Group, IDCOL (Bangladesh), REA (Nigeria), among others. He is skilled in managing minigrid and other renewable energy projects throughout different project development stages. On top, he has been providing technical assistance to several government agencies on implementing minigrid contracts and regulations. He speaks English and Bangla.
Legal and Policy Specialist
Maseru, Lesotho
Fiona, a Mosotho national, is our Legal and Policy Specialist. With over eight years of legal experience, she has spent most of her career in South Africa. Fiona specializes in researching policy and legal regulations related to solar energy deployment, identifying opportunities and barriers in business models and regulatory frameworks. She holds an LLM in Commercial Law from the University of Cape Town, with a focus on governing company relations and international trade law. In her role at INENSUS, Fiona conducts comprehensive research on policy and legal issues surrounding solar energy deployment. Proficient in English, Fiona also has intermediate-level proficiency in French and basic knowledge of German.
Co-founder and CTO
Goslar, Germany
Holger, our CTO, co-founder, shareholder, holds a degree in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from Clausthal University of Technology, Germany. He has more than 16 years of experience as investor, developer and strategic technical advisor in the in the minigrid sector in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. His expertise includes technical design, installation, commissioning and operation of minigrids, advisory services on public procurement processes for minigrid assets, as well as the provision of trainings for private operators, government agencies and international organisations on minigrid installation and operation. Holger speaks German, English, French and Spanish.
Energy Access Specialist
Kourou, French Guiana
Ifaliana is a Malagasy national currently residing in French Guiana. She holds a Master’s degree in Private Law and another Master’s degree in Development Economics, specializing in Environmental Impact Assessment. Additionally, she has a Master’s degree in Regulation for Sustainable Development Goal 7 from the Florence School of Regulation in Italy. Presently, Ifaliana is pursuing a PhD at the University of Antananarivo’s Doctoral School. Her research is centered on advancing children’s rights through rural electrification initiatives. With an academic background complemented by five years of professional experience, Ifaliana is a versatile legal advisor adept at analyzing and addressing a broad spectrum of policy and regulatory issues. She is fluent in Malagasy, French, and English.
Co-founder and CSO
Berlin, Germany
Jakob, our CSO, co-founder, shareholder, holds a degree in Power Systems Engineering from Clausthal University of Technology, Germany. He has more than 15 years of experience as investor, developer and strategic technical and policy advisor in the minigrid field in Africa and Asia. Jakob has worked in rural communities in over 20 African countries, set up mini-grid operations in Senegal and Tanzania, and works as policy advisor with government agencies and international development organizations on policy and regulatory frameworks as well as competitive procurement processes in various countries. He is based in Berlin and speaks German, English and French.
Energy Access Specialist
Nairobi, Kenya
James has more than 7 years of combined experience in energy engineering and management consulting. James has experience across the energy access and renewable energy value chain in Africa and other emerging markets. Prior to joining INENSUS, James worked as a Senior Analyst at EED Advisory, supporting energy access, renewable energy and climate change projects in Africa. At INENSUS, James provides technical assistance on topics ranging from mini-grid design, feasibility analysis, demand assessment, regulatory support and implementation of the Key-Maker Model (KMM). He has visited and supported projects in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Lesotho and other countries. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomechanical and Processing Engineering from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. A native of Kenya, he is fluent in English, Kiswahili and Kikuyu.
COO
Nairobi, Kenya
Joanis holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Imperial College London and Master’s degree in Engineering for Sustainable Development from the University of Cambridge (Wolfson College). He has more than 10 years of professional experience in the rural electrification sector. Prior to joining us as COO in 2018, he was Country Manager of BBOXX Ltd. in Uganda and Kenya and led EON’s minigrid company Rafiki Power as General Manager in Tanzania. He specialises in technical system design, financial modelling and tariff regulation of minigrids. Joanis is based in Nairobi and speaks German, English and French.
Energy Access Specialist
Antananarivo, Madagascar
Juliana holds an MSc. in Carbon Finance from the University of Edinburgh, where her thesis focused on decentralized electrification in Madagascar. She also holds a dual Master’s degree in Finance and Management Research from INSCAE Madagascar. Juliana’s expertise includes financial modeling, market analysis, policy and regulatory frameworks, and feasibility studies. With over 7 years of experience in the energy and environment sector, Juliana has dedicated three years specifically to rural electrification in Madagascar. In her role, Juliana has successfully coordinated activities with government agencies, supported framework development, and worked with technical and financial partners to advance project objectives. She has also coordinated activities with project developers on project planning and demand stimulation to ensure comprehensive and effective project implementation. Juliana is passionate about promoting sustainable energy solutions throughout Africa. Based in Antananarivo, Madagascar, she is fluent in English, French and Malagasy.
Software Developer
Izmir, Turkey
Kamuran studied software engineering at Ya?ar University in Izmir, Turkey, where he started programming with C# and .Net Framework. After graduating, he worked as a professional for five years and participated in many projects, especially popular CRM and ERP projects in Turkey. At the same time, he also carried out his own projects. Since 2020, Kamuran is our full-stack software developer, contributing to our open-source platform MicroPowerManager and other projects. He has travelled countries like Romania, Bulgaria, Albania and Greece and lived in the US for some time. He is based in Izmir and speaks Turkish and English.
Head of Africa Business
Nairobi, Kenya
As the Head of Africa Business at INENSUS, Kellie spearheads the company’s expansion across the continent, focusing on mini-grid financing and client relationship management. Holding a Master’s in Development Finance, her expertise lies in crafting and executing strategic business plans tailored for the African market. She is a Kenyan national with over 15 years of experience in investment management, fundraising advisory, and clean energy financing. Previously, as Chief Investments Officer at East African Power, Kellie played a pivotal role in advancing clean energy initiatives. Fluent in English, Kiswahili, and Kimeru.
Senior Energy Access Specialist
Berlin, Germany
Max is a Senior Energy Access Specialist at INENSUS, where he leads UNICEF projects across the EAPRO, WCAR, and SAR regions, focusing on the electrification of rural healthcare and educational facilities. With expertise in off-grid electrification, Max’s work spans project management, policy and regulatory analysis, subsidy mechanism design, tender development, feasibility studies, market analysis, and business plan development. He holds an MBA in Energy Management from TU Berlin, an MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics, and a BSc in International Relations from the University of Southampton. Prior to joining INENSUS, he spent 9 years as a Governance Officer at a London-based think tank, focusing on energy policy in low-income countries. Having lived in the UK, Greece, and Germany, Max has also spent time in Sierra Leone and Liberia. A British-German national, he speaks English and German fluently, with some proficiency in Greek.
Energy Access Specialist
Vienna, Austria
Maÿlis has a MSc. Sustainability Business and Innovation from Utrecht University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from HEC Montreal. She has more than seven years of professional experience and her main tasks as minigrid expert include consulting on policies and regulations, conduction of feasibility studies and market analyses, business plan development and financial modelling of minigrid projects. Prior to joining us in 2019, she worked in the aerospace industry and as research assistant in rural electrification. Maÿlis is based in Vienna and speaks French (native), English and German.
Energy Access Specialist
Nairobi, Kenya
Mike holds a BSc in Mechatronics Engineering and an MSc in Sustainable Environment and Energy Systems from the Middle East Technical University in Cyprus, where he co-authored an energy policy paper on Rwanda, Kenya and Ethiopia. With over 7 years of experience in the renewable energy sector, particularly in Kenya and East Africa, Mike specialises in solar PV systems, ensuring technical feasibility and maximising efficiency. His skillset also extends to regulatory compliance, reflecting his commitment to maintaining standards in the ever-evolving renewable energy policy landscape and driving clean energy initiatives forward. As one of our Energy Access Experts, builds upon his previous experience, where he spearheaded the implementation, operations, and maintenance of solar energy solutions across Kenya for grid-connected and off-grid applications. Based in Nairobi, he is fluent in English and Swahili.
Energy Access Specialist
Berlin, Germany
Muriel has more than 4 years of work experience in the field of renewable energy. She has worked on the entire process of minigrid project development from site selection, demand assessment, technical design and financial modelling during her time as project manager for a minigrid developer in Madagascar and her previous internship with us. She further gained experience in academia where she did research on topics such as the electrification of rural health centers in Northern India or the cost benefits from accurate electricity demand data for Sub-Saharan Africa. She holds a BSc. in environmental sciences from ETH Zurich and a MSc. in energy management from EPFL in Lausanne.
Co-founder and CEO
Goslar, Germany
Nico is our CEO, and a co-founder and shareholder. He holds a degree in Power Systems Engineering from Clausthal University of Technology, Germany. Nico has more than 16 years of professional experience in the minigrid sector, advising development banks, governments and investors on setting up rural electrification programmes. He co-developed the award-winning MicroPowerEconomy business and risk management model for solar minigrid electrification and the rural industrialisation concept The KeyMaker Model. Nico is a juror for the German Innovation Award for Climate and Environment and a lead juror for the European Business Awards for the Environment. He is based in Goslar and speaks German and English.
Senior Energy Access Specialist
Graz, Austria
Sylvain has a Master’s in Computer Networking and Telecommunications and a Master of Science in Environmental Technology and International Affairs from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and Vienna University of Technology. He has more than 11 years of professional experience, including 3.5 years in telecommunications, more than one year with GIZ and more than 7 years with us in rural electrification. Sylvain is an expert in financial and business model development, policy and regulation, and technical feasibility studies for minigrid projects. He is based in Graz and speaks French, English, German and Spanish.
Energy Access Specialist
Lomé, Togo
Thomas holds a BSc and a MSc in Renewable Energies from University of Applied Science in Berlin. He joined us in 2018 and has been working on a variety of projects ranging from technical design of minigrids, providing TA to minigrid developers, to carrying out feasibility studies and technical due diligences. Since 2020, he is based in Lomé, Togo, as long-term expert to provide minigrid know-how to the rural electrification agency under a consulting contract with GIZ ProEnergie. Thomas speaks German, French and English.
Energy Access Specialist
Berlin, Germany
Vanessa’s work as energy access specialist is mainly focused on the analysis of data, software modelling and minigrid network design. She has a master degree in Energy Conversion and Data Analysis and fluently speaks English, French and German. Before joining us in 2020, she worked as a working student at Innogy in the field of Grid development and Energy supply, with focus on the development and implementation of a software model for wind energy generation and weather data analysis. She used to work for the Green Girls Organisation based in Cameroon as the Technical Coordinator conducting training modules for renewable energy generation and installing solar home systems and isolated biomass energy units.
Interested in becoming part of our team?
Then check out our job offers below, or contact us at contact@inensus.com.
Our values are inspired by the vision of a world where all people are able to fulfil their potential, and by our mission to fight energy poverty and foster economic development of rural communities. Our company and individual team members are committed to upholding these values in our daily work.
We respect and value each team member, partner and client in their individuality and treat everyone in the same considerate way that we wish to be treated ourselves.
We relentlessly commit our skills and experience to electrify communities and foster their economic and social development.
We act responsibly and hold ourselves accountable for our actions.
We leverage the transformative power of purposeful teamwork, within our firm as well as with external partners.
We put the success of our customers at the heart of all our endeavours.
We develop innovative solutions that are sustainable as well as implementable.
We strive to consolidate our reputation as a reliable partner that applies the highest standards to its services and products at all times.
INENSUS aims to empower rural communities through the provision of reliable and transformative access to electricity.
Our values of Respect, Purpose, Integrity, Collaboration, Customer Focus, Sustainability and Reliability form the basis for our ethical business practices and standards, as detailed in our Policies.
We believe in maintaining a respectful and professional working space. As a socially and ethically conscious organisation, we are committed to fostering a workplace free from unlawful discrimination and harassment of any form, including sexual harassment, and to create a safe working environment for all our and employees, where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, can contribute fully and have equal opportunities.
We are committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards with respect to our activities, decision making, and service delivery. We are conscious that it is crucial to foster trust and credibility in our professional work, conduct and in the services we perform for our clients, many of whom are national and international private sector companies, and governmental and non-governmental organisations.
We believe in the principle of sustainability and take every effort to ensure it in the delivery of our services. This includes sustainability in business, financing, technical and managerial capacities, continued impact assessment and learning beyond the duration of our projects. We therefore endeavour to develop models and processes that foster ownership by local and/or organisational stakeholders and beneficiaries.
We are regularly looking for reinforcement for our team, be it in the core team in our main offices, in project teams in the target countries, or as part-time reinforcement in respective expert pools. If this sounds like you, we look forward to receiving your application.
If you would like to be part of our database so that we can contact you quickly for suitable jobs, then send us your CV.
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