Teaming up with Idris Elba to build Sierra Leone’s first wind farm

Idris Elba had a vision: to bring green energy, smart tech and opportunity to Sierra Leone, the West African nation his family calls home. Alongside his friend and business partner, Siaka Stevens, he dreamed up a smart city on Sherbro Island, powered entirely by renewable energy.

Then came a chance encounter at a climate event. Our CEO, Greg Jackson (who had, regrettably, just spilt wine down his shirt) got chatting with Sabrina and her husband Idris about our mission to make green energy accessible to all. Together, they sketched out a bold plan—wind turbines, solar panels, and battery storage to bring clean energy to Sherbro Island, creating jobs and training for the local community.

Together, this clean green tech, will provide free, reliable energy to local communities.

This project is part of Idris and Siaka’s big plan to turn Sherbro Island into a vibrant eco-city, blending modern infrastructure with sustainable living. Alongside Idris Elba and Siaka, we are aiming to create a green energy hub on the beautiful coast of West Africa, that is built on sustainable practices and abundant natural resources.

For the community, this will mean cheaper electricity as well as green jobs and training opportunities for local people, helping to power Sierra Leone's future in more ways than one.

Right now, only around 28% of people in Sierra Leone have access to electricity, but the country is aiming for 85% renewable energy by 2030. This wind farm will help bring clean energy to more people and support Sierra Leone’s ambitious renewable energy goals. It’s a huge step forward in the country’s energy transition.

And it's just the beginning of our partnership with Idris, who famously crashed our company-wide Zoom call, to everyone’s delight. He even joined Greg at Glastonbury, where he DJed until 4am before the two of them discussed their ambitious energy projects.

Their shared vision? To expand and ensure a brighter, greener future for Sierra Leone and beyond.

We’re passionate about making green energy accessible to everyone, everywhere. This partnership is just one example of how we’re working towards a brighter, greener global future!

For more information on how we’re driving renewable energy investments, check out Octopus Energy Generation.