Alexandrin’s company supplies and sells electricity in rural areas. The electricity is produced with photovoltaic panels. The company sells a full range of electricity services; sizing, fit-in, electricity credit top-up, repair and maintenance. It also sells high-quality domestic materials such as bulbs, domestic cables, phone charging plugs, domestic device plugs (TV, radio, decoder) and domestic devices such as freezers, TVs, etc. Nevertheless, they don’t sell production and distribution materials such as batteries, PV modules, controllers, charging cables and poles.
What is your professional background, your technical expertise, and your areas of interest ?
Before joining Nanoé, I was working part-time as a surveyor with public organisations. In 2017, I did the free nano-entrepreneur training by Nanoé and, after that, we did a training placement to find appropriate implementation zones. At the end of the training, I made very little in commissions but, since then it hasn’t stopped growing and now I am satisfied with my earnings as a nano-entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, I am about to find a new activity to increase my income.
Why did your company join the project?
We already have several areas in our region with many nano-grids, which are waiting to transition into micro-grids.
I have a lot of experience as a nano-entrepreneur in setting-up networks, whether it is in domestic set-up or in client branch pipes. We can find these pieces of work in micro-grid, where we climb several poles during set-up. I share my experience on cable installation to connect nano-grids.
I would like to participate into the evolution of Nanoé, if one day we are to make it to the micro-grid phase with an electric power plant, I would like to be a part of that project.
How is your experience in R&D and engineering informing your current work within the project?
I don’t come from an engineering background. I have been trained to be a technical agent, like an electrician as well as a salesman. I remain an entrepreneur earning commissions from the resell of refills.
How do you hope you will benefit from participating in the project and its outcomes?
By putting into practice my experience in grid set-up. I know and have good rapport with Nanoé’s local clients in the areas where I work. I also have good relationships with the local government in these areas.
I would like trials made on new offerings to move forward faster. I think there is a lot of demand from high-intensity apparatus such as wood machine, 220V – AC freezer, etc.