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Low Energy Consumption = Unprofitable Mini-Grids. Is Appliance Financing the Answer?
Over 600 million Africans live without electricity, and mini-grids are a cheap solution to bring power to at least 100 million of them. But the mini-grid business model is not yet sustainable. This is due in part to low levels of energy consumption by rural customers, who often can't afford the high upfront costs of appliances that would increase their energy usage. Analysts at CrossBoundary explore new research on whether offering financing for household appliances can help overcome this barrier.
- Categories
- Energy
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Smart Gas Cooking Seeks to Break African Cities’ Dirty Charcoal Habit
So far, efforts to introduce cleaner stoves that burn less fuel have been led mainly by aid agencies working in rural parts of Africa and Asia - and have had limited success. But a new push by businesses targeting urban areas aims to shift the dial.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Mercy Corps, MTN Liberia Launch Mobile Payment for PayGo Solar Systems
PayGo enables households to buy quality solar systems and pay in installments instead of outright upfront payment. So far, partner private sector distributors have installed over 1,100 pay as you go systems, improving the lives of rural dwellers, particularly those with children of school-going age.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Africa Is Awash In Sunshine – Energy That Will Help Empower The Continent
“Africa is not burdened with telecom lines and as a result, it went straight to mobile communications,” says Chris Kemper, chief executive of Palmetto, a clean energy and social-impact company, in a talk with this writer. “The same thing can be said for clean energy and clean technology.”
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- renewable energy
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Solar Water Pumps Have Been Around Since the 1970s: Here’s Why They Haven’t Scaled
Solar water pumps, which have been around for years, are becoming far more affordable thanks to declining solar panel prices and new business models – particularly for the roughly 500 million smallholder farmers worldwide. So why isn’t the industry taking off? Makena Ireri and Jenny Corry Smith of CLASP, a group of 14 donor organizations working to scale markets and reduce the prices of off-grid technologies, present several reasons. They explore solutions for making solar irrigation systems a priority in the off-grid conversation.
- Categories
- Energy
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Namibia Announces $338 Million, 5-Year Renewable-Energy Strategy
The country, which is the driest in sub-Saharan Africa and has more than 300 days of sunshine a year, “stands to benefit as the worldwide boom in the solar market results in reduced costs and improved efficiency of solar photovoltaic panels and related equipment,” Haulofu said.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- renewable energy
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Global Solar Installations to Reach Record High This Year
The rise forecast this year will be driven mainly by Europe - in particular Spain, the United States, India, Vietnam, as well as Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
- Categories
- Energy
- Tags
- renewable energy
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Cheaper Loans Could Take Solar Power to More Rooftops in India
As the residential rooftop solar segment is a diverse market, loans to this sector need to be rethought keeping in mind the unique characteristics of the product.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- South Asia
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