Tracy Kimathi is one of the young Africans who are redefining the paths of technological innovation. The 22 years old environmentalist from Kenya is one of the 14 individuals shortlisted for the Africa Prize, Royal Academy of Engineering. Her company Tree_Sea.mals is promoting sustainable development goals by generating energy in rural communities in Kenya through her Off-grid solutions. Recently, Engineers’ Forum engaged Tracy Kimathi who is the CEO Tree_Sea.mals in an interview on how she has been able to attain such great feat at a young age.
We would like to know a little about your background
In Early 2018, I set out to start my engineering company, Tree_Sea.mals Ltd, after recently graduating with a BSc in Environmental Science the previous year. Tree_Sea.mals initially started as an energy generation and distribution company that sought to electrify remote rural areas within Northern Kenya. Eventually, after setting up our very first project, a 1kWp solar mini-grid that connected 2 households and 1 kiosk to off-grid renewable power 24/7, the team decided it would be best to establish an additional revenue stream due to the low consumer financing that came with electricity purchase.
We then came up with the idea of integrating Cold Storage Facilities as an add on to Mini-Grid systems
What inspired your career path as an environmentalist?
I saw a good career option out of it. The world is hurling into an age of environmental conservation and it would need professionals to interpret how exactly ‘conservation’ can be achieved.
It’s amazing that you are quite young and have attained such height, how were you able to develop your idea and build your business from scratch?
Well in terms of idea generation, I attended a bunch of accelerator programs and incubators that enabled me to fasten the ‘design thinking process’ of my business.
In terms of funding, I received my first seed capital from the Tony Elumelu Foundation (EST in Nigeria ) which was able to set up the previously mentioned 1kWp PV prototype that helped inform us of rural consumer energy trends and get engineering recognition for the system.
As an environmentalist, what are your greatest concerns about today’s environmental conditions and what solutions do you proffer?
My largest concern globally is Air Contamination levels. More animals produce methane daily, more cars produce carbon and fewer trees exist to absorb all these pollutants
And locally my concern is on Waste Pollution. Plastic bottles, discarded packaging and mud-filled pave ways to have a way of affecting the quality of life within Nairobi. The city looks dirty and therefore the overall outlook of the city is polluted. We should just clean up like Rwanda.
How does it feel to be selected as one of the youngest women shortlisted for the Africa Prize, Royal Academy of Engineering?
It feels good. I am very honoured to be shortlisted for such a grand award. Age is truly not a limit.
What are the major projects you have executed since the inception of Tree_Sea.mals?
We have implemented 1kWp Off-grid solar mini-grid Meru County, Kenya which connects 2 households through 1Kiosk.
We are currently developing; 15kWp Offgrid Solar system with a 40ft Cold Storage Facility, which will connect 230 Households and 20 SMEs.
What key goals and objectives do you have for your business in the nearest future?
To service over 200,000 consumers through interconnected renewable smart-grids within the next 7 years with over 5MW worth of new generation capacity.
We wish to establish at least 100 facilities within Rwanda, Botswana, Ethiopia and Kenya
How were you able to build such technically demanding complex facilities as an environmentalist?
Well, I attended a program known as the Micro-grid Academy that gave me practical knowledge & skills of how an energy system works. The program is funded by RES4Africa and supported by UNEP Kenya. There are also a bunch of organizations like Energy4Impact, Odyssey, Kenya Climate Innovation Centre (KCIC) that provided Technical Assistance throughout the project’s conceptualization stages.
What major challenges are you facing in executing your business?
We are having challenges as access to finance, building a viable team and partnering with mentors/advisors
What advice do you have for young innovators?
Collaborate and partner as much as you can, especially in areas you are not too skilled in.
Indeed it is a great feat for a female to emerge into this field almost dominated by males. It is not because females are in a particular way not capable of reaching these heights, but because of the environment which seems unfriendly to youngsters and females in particular. Your assertion has proved itself in you, “that age is not a limit”. During our mandatory entrepreneurship course in university, I almost drop something like that with a name of the company. I even went forward by performing SWOT analysis of the project and the teachers said it is something feasible. I look forward to a day that it will be a reality, just like what you did there. I have learned a lot through your words and I look forward to making something like yours or even better in every way.