For Local Energy Entrepreneurs, Open Source is the Great Equalizer
By Ayobami Adedinni
What is the most powerful tool for a local entrepreneur in Malawi or Burundi looking to electrify their community? Recently, it seems to be Open Source software and it’s quietly reshaping the business landscape for energy access.
In a recent conversation for the Open Source Leaders Dialogue, Stefan Zelazny, Managing Director at the Access to Energy Institute (A2Ei), reframed Open Source not as a niche technical concept, but as a catalyst for inclusive growth and market creation. His journey, from a cash-strapped student using Linux, an Open Source, Unix-like operating system known for its security, versatility, to the leader of one of the largest Open Source projects in the energy sector, reveals a compelling blueprint for the future.
From a Student’s Hack to an Industry Pillar
Stefan’s story is a testament to Open Source’s enduring value. “As a student, I always had no money, trying to save some by using Open Source software,” he shared. This early exposure as a user evolved into a professional conviction. The shift happened while he was working with a private company deploying solar home systems in East Africa. When “pay-as-you-go” technology emerged, his team made a bold move. Together with EnAccess, they Open Sourced their proprietary technology.
This was his first touchpoint with Open Source in energy access, a philosophy he now champions through the Prospect project, a fully Open Source data platform managed by A2EI.
The Real Hurdle is Perception
“You still encounter the perception of Open Source to be a more risky approach,” he explained. Skeptics fall back on old adages: “if it’s free, it can’t be good.”
A common and damaging misconception is confusing Open Source with Open data, the fear that contributing to an Open Source platform means making your sensitive data public.
Overcoming this requires education and close collaboration. The mission is to showcase the tangible advantages and directly address these fears, ensuring that decisions are driven by potential, not outdated perceptions.
Democratising the Energy Market
For Open Source to be truly successful, people must be able to build sustainable businesses around it.
Prospect, an Open Source data platform for the energy access sector project, is being adopted by countries like Burundi and Malawi to track ambitious electrification programs. But A2Ei isn’t the one implementing it. Instead, local IT consultancies are.
This model creates a more democratised and cost-effective ecosystem;governments get a cheaper, more tailored solution, and local economies grow.
This is the core of Stefan’s vision: empowering the small, entrepreneurial companies that truly understand their local markets. Open Source puts them on a level playing field with large international players, giving them access to best-in-class tools without the prohibitive cost.
A Word for the Skeptics
For adopters, Open Source reduces dependency on third-party vendors whose future roadmaps are unknown and enhances security, a critical factor as data privacy concerns grow.
“It’s not just putting it outside,” Stefan warns. It requires a clear objective and preparation. But if you have a great solution that could benefit from a wider community of problem-solvers, the leap is often worth it.
The future of energy access won’t be built by a few giant corporations alone. It will be built by a global network of local entrepreneurs equipped with the best possible tools. And as Stefan’s work proves, Open Source is the key to unlocking their potential, proving that shared technology can be the most powerful business strategy of all.