Draft:Jeremiah Thoronka

Jeremiah Thoronka is a student from Sierra Leone, who invented a device that uses kinetic energy from traffic and pedestrians to generate clean power. In 2021 he was awarded the Chegg.org Global Student Prize and the Global Teacher Prize, which are given exceptional students who made inspirational impact on other students in science.

Scientific Contributions

Thoronka's contribution was a kinetic energy system, which he developed at the age of 17 when studying at the African Leadership University in Rwanda. He launched a start-up that transforms vibrations from vehicles and pedestrian onto roads which creates usable electric current. It generates power without relying weather of other outside factors or natural resources. At the same time, no battery and no electricity connection to an external power source is needed. He has expanded the technology to the healthcare sector, which will use power generated by his technology to power to medicines and vaccines, as well as creating sufficient light for treating patients after dark.

"I wanted to develop a more sustainable energy system, educate people about energy efficiency and stop their overuse of natural resources"

At a pilot program in Thoronka’s hometown of Makawo, his technology. was successfully deployed to power 150 homes and 15 schools, totaling services to more than 10,000 people, 9,000 of whom were students. He is currently looking to expand into the healthcare sector, presumably utilizing the busy roads and walkways near hospitals to generate required power for vaccine refrigeration.

International Recognition

Thoronka was recognized for his work creating Sierra Leone’s sustainable energy nationwide. He has listed among the 100 Most Influential Africans in 2021, the World Wildlife Fund’s top 100 Young African Conservation Leaders, and was laureate of the inaugural Global Student Prize, Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work – Africa.

Education

Thoronka joined the African Leadership University in Rwanda as part of its founding class. He studied Global Challenges, a program that was modelled after the SDG.

Career

Thoronka focused on Climate Action, Energy and Innovations. He researched sociocultural and technical energy efficiency issues.He founded Optim Energy, a start-up that explored piezoelectricity to generate clean and affordable energy for those most vulnerable in society. He served as a Global Youth Ambassador for Theirword, a Deloitte Climate Scholar and Ambassador at One Young World and was also Chattering President of Rotaract Club of ALU Rwanda. Thoronka was selected to join the Climate Overshoot Commission Youth Engagement Group, an organisation of eminent leaders working on strategies on how to reduce risks if the world exceeds its Paris climate commitments by 2030.