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

GOGLA and e-MFP Forge Strategic Partnership to Drive Financial Inclusion and Off-Grid Solar Expansion

Leaders in the off-grid solar industry and financial inclusion sectors across the Global South are joining forces to expand access to financial services, promote the productive use of off-grid solar energy solutions and help clients grow their livelihoods.

Source

European Microfinance Platform (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Energy, Technology

Region

Global

Tags

energy access, financial inclusion, microfinance, off-grid energy, partnerships, Productive Use of Energy, renewable energy, solar

Daniel Waldron / Christopher Emmott / Yash Vardhan Gaddhyan / Ruth Wairimu

Replacing Old Technologies or Creating New Markets?: The Pros and Cons of Two Paths to Impact for Productive Use of Energy

Productive use of energy (PUE) technologies have the potential to unlock higher incomes and reduce reliance on more costly, non-renewable energy sources in rural and low-income communities. Dan Waldron, Chris Emmott, Yash Vardhan Gaddhyan and Ruth Wairimu at Acumen discuss the advantages and disadvantages of two different paths to impact for PUE: replacing inefficient, fossil fuel-based incumbent technologies, vs. disrupting entire markets with innovative PUE approaches.

Categories

Energy, Environment, Investing, Technology, Transportation

Tags

business development, e-mobility, energy access, impact investing, off-grid energy, Productive Use of Energy, renewable energy, results-based financing, rural development, scale, solar

Hotspot Network and Solarkiosk Solutions Ink Joint Venture for Rural Connectivity and Energy in Nigeria

The joint venture (JV), known as Hotspot-Solarkiosk, will function as both an Energy Service Company (ESCO) and an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor.

Source

ITEdgeNews (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Energy, Telecommunications

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

digital inclusion, off-grid energy, rural development, solar

d.light Launches Loyalty Programme for Off-Grid Solar Customers in Kenya

The company launched the loyalty scheme, called the d.light Points Programme, in Kenya this month with plans to extend it to customers in Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria later this year.

Source

Technext (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Energy

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

energy access, off-grid energy, renewable energy, rural development, solar

Press Release: d.light Closes New USD $176 Million Securitization Facility for Affordable Off-Grid Solar In Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

Off-grid solar provider d.light and impact investor African Frontier Capital partner on new financing to support consumer loans for solar and high efficiency appliances in East Africa.

Source

d.light (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Energy, Social Enterprise

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

energy access, innovation, off-grid energy, PAYGO finance, SDGs, solar

Yariv Cohen

Why Private Businesses — Not Non-Profits and NGOs — Present the Only Scalable Solution for Last-Mile Electrification in Africa

In the pursuit of last-mile electrification in Africa, both businesses and NGOs/non-profits are pursuing different pathways to scale. In a recent NextBillion article, Aneri Pradhan at New Energy Nexus argued that market-led approaches are ill-suited for remote communities, and that philanthropy should focus more on scalable non-profit models. But according to Yariv Cohen at Ignite Power, when it comes to serving these communities at scale, businesses offer advantages that non-profits and NGOs cannot match. He explores why the private sector’s role is critical for addressing energy poverty across Africa.

Categories

Energy, Technology

Tags

energy access, NGOs, nonprofits, off-grid energy, PAYGO finance, philanthropy, renewable energy, scale, solar

Nathan Sermonis / Liam Murphy

Scalable Mini-Grid Design Requires Expandable Systems: Why Modular Technology and Finance are Key to the Sector’s Growth and Sustainability

Mini-grids offer a proven, low-cost solution to bring energy access to hard-to-reach communities. But as Nathan Sermonis and Liam Murphy at Vittoria Technology argue, mini-grid projects need to start small and grow alongside customer demand for optimal sustainability. They explore why smart mini-grid design requires expandable, right-sized systems with “modular” finance and technology, and discuss how recent innovations in batteries and other solar technologies can enable this change in the sector’s approach to system design.

Categories

Energy, Technology

Tags

clean cooking, decarbonization, energy access, global development, off-grid energy, Productive Use of Energy, renewable energy, results-based financing, scale, SDGs, solar

Off-Grid Energy Leader ENGIE Energy Access Launches 15 Solar Mini-Grids in Zambia, Targets 60 by 2025

ENGIE Energy Access will provide reliable electricity to underserved families and small businesses, creating economic growth and increasing socio-economic welfare in local communities.

Source

ENGIE Energy Access (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Energy, Technology

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tags

energy access, MSMEs, off-grid energy, PAYGO finance, renewable energy, solar