U. B Akuru

This session explores the innovative concept of repurposing second-life electric vehicle (EV) motors for microgrid applications, offering a practical and sustainable solution to energy challenges across Africa. As the adoption of electric vehicles increases globally, a growing number of EV components, particularly motors, reach the end of their primary lifecycle while still retaining significant functional value.

The webinar will examine how these components can be engineered and integrated into microgrid systems to provide reliable and cost-effective energy solutions, especially in underserved and off-grid communities. Key areas of focus include system design considerations, performance optimization, integration challenges, and real-world deployment insights.

By leveraging existing technologies in new ways, this approach presents a promising pathway to improving energy access, reducing costs, and advancing sustainability across the continent.

Biography:

Dr Udochukwu B. Akuru is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Tshwane University of Technology and an NRF C1-rated researcher with expertise in the design and optimisation of electrical machines for renewable energy technologies and sustainable energy systems. He received the B.Eng. and M.Eng. degrees from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 2008 and 2013, respectively, and the PhD degree in electrical engineering from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, in 2017. He held a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship with Stellenbosch University from 2018 to 2019 and was a Lecturer with the University of Nigeria from 2011 to 2019. He has authored or coauthored numerous papers and serves as a reviewer for several journals and conferences. He served as the General Chair of the 33rd Southern African Universities Power Engineering Conference (SAUPEC 2025). He is currently a Professional Registered Engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) & Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), a Senior Member of IEEE & SAIEE, and a volunteer with various societies and committees, including IEEE IAS EMC, IEEE IES EMTC and SAIEE RMS. He is a recipient of several grants and awards, including the prestigious Jorma Luomi Student Forum Award at the 2018 International Conference on Electrical Machines (ICEM) and the 2020 TWAS-DFG Research Fellowship. He is also an Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications & IET Electric Power Applications, the country lead for the UKRI-funded Circular Economy Powered Renewable Energy Centre (CEPREC) project, and the current Chairperson of the IEEE South Africa Section.