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Off-Grid Energy Investment at $2.1 Billion in the Last Decade: Wood Mackenzie
Wood Mackenzie estimates 420 million people now use standalone off-grid solar and another 47 million people rely on mini-grids for access to electricity. While investments in energy access have rapidly accelerated since 2016, total volumes still fall short of the total estimated financing needed to reach universal electricity access globally by 2030.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- South Asia
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Unlocking Off-Grid Energy Finance: What Options Are Available for the Last Mile?
Extending the power grid to underserved communities is often prohibitively expensive. That's why decentralized renewable energy (DRE) is increasingly recognized as an essential approach. However, investments remain focused on grid-connected electricity, with only 1.2% directed towards DRE solutions in 2017. Surabhi Rajagopal and Eco Matser at Hivos explore challenges and solutions in financing energy access through DRE.
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The Clock is Ticking on Energy Access: Exploring Factor[e] Ventures’ Big Bet on Mini-Grids
Since 2010, the number of people without energy access has decreased from almost 1.2 billion to 840 million. But while that's encouraging, the world is not on track to meet SDG7’s goal of universal electrification. What's more, as Amanda DelCore at Factor[e] Ventures points out, more connections may not always equal more access. In light of these realities, she explores why Factor[e] has built its energy access thesis around mini-grids.
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Press Release: Off-Grid Solar Energy Sector Ready to Step Up Efforts Towards Sustainable Energy
More than 1,250 participants from 75 countries attending this year’s Global Off-Grid Solar Forum and Expo (GOGSFE) in Nairobi called for more collaboration and investments to provide sustainable energy for the 840 million people currently living without electricity and an estimated 1 billion people who live with weak grid connections.
- Source
- Press Release
- Categories
- Energy
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Expanding Impact and Emerging Risks in Off-Grid Energy: 10 Customer Insights – And Five Calls to Action
Social impact measurement is often a balancing act between generating rich, meaningful insights – and getting lost in the details. 60 Decibels aims to strike that balance with its first impact performance report, “Why Off Grid Energy Matters,” based on over 35,000 interviews with customers of 49 off-grid energy companies in 17 countries. Kat Harrison and Sasha Dichter explore some highlights, ranging from hyper-specific insights on customer impact, to sector-wide risks and gaps.
- Categories
- Energy, Impact Assessment
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New Partnership to Drive Off-Grid Solar Energy Enterprises in Africa
VentureBuilder and the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) have announced their partnership to support the development of off-grid solar energy enterprises that can meet the demands of underserved populations in Africa.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Waiting Game: Where is All the Investment in Solar-Powered Productive Use Appliances?
The solar industry has helped over 360 million people in off-grid communities gain access to basic electricity – and the sector is moving beyond just lighting. Many companies now offer household appliances and, increasingly, “productive-use” appliances that support income-generating activities. However, investment in companies deploying these technologies remains minimal. Leslie Labruto at Acumen and Jeff Stottlemyer at CLASP explore the problem, and some potential solutions.
- Categories
- Energy
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Solar Energy Storage Faces a Battery of Challenges – How to Overpower Them
Diesel electricity generation is expensive, unsustainable and harmful to users' health and the environment. But it still dominates the energy mix in emerging markets. Why? According to Alec Macklis at Gridspan Energy, one reason is that solar energy is intermittent by nature, making it hard to incorporate into a reliable energy system. But though this problem can be solved by better energy storage, solar + storage solutions haven't gained major traction. He explores the reasons for this, and presents an innovative energy storage approach that could help.
- Categories
- Energy
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