NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Scaling up the market for off-grid solar appliances like fans, refrigerators, water pumps, and grain mills could bring life-changing energy access to millions of people, with significant potential to enhance resilience and stimulate sustainable economic development in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. According to the latest report from Efficiency for Access, “Leave No One Behind: Bridging the Energy Access Gap with Innovative Off-Grid Solar Solutions,” approximately 159 million of these appliances are needed to serve people who lack access to the grid. Right now, at the current slow pace of electrification, 660 million people – most of them in Africa – will remain without electricity by 2030. Currently, however, less than 2% of this demand is being met.

Photo courtesy of IWMI Flickr Photos.