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d.light partners with microfinance institution Musoni for off-grid solar in Kenya
D.light’s managing director for Africa, Jacob Okoth, said that the partnership made perfect sense for the two companies, as they target the same customer segment. Musoni works to expand financial outreach in rural areas and d.light’s mission is to continue to work towards rural electrification.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Solar power: A shot in the arm for India’s health centers
Nearly 35 million people in rural India relied on un-electrified primary health centers as of 2015, according to government data. One in every two primary health centers has no electricity or suffers from power outages, putting baby deliveries, paediatric emergencies and cold storage of vaccines at risk, among other vital health services. Renewable energy sources like solar power provide an opportunity to work around the challenges that accompany a lack of electricity.
- Categories
- Energy, Health Care
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- renewable energy, vaccines
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Solar lamp social enterprise mulls manufacturing plant in Kenya
The firm produces solar products that charge phone devices and provide power to homes, using off-grid systems. Nathaniel Peat the firms’ Co – Founder, says Kenya has become an important market for them having already invested Sh26.4 million in the market.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- renewable energy, solar
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Australia’s DFAT and XPRIZE Team Up to Tackle Water Scarcity
XPRIZE, Tata Group and innovationXchange are together funding a prize for an affordable solution to water scarcity. The idea is to generate clean water from the air, in situations where water is currently unavailable or inaccessible. XPRIZE will help the top five finalists access advance market commitments, allowing them to test their technology in the field, at scale. Teams have until April 28 to register.
- Categories
- Environment, Technology
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Dear Critics: Here’s Why the Off-grid Energy Industry Needs Impact Investment
Off-grid lighting trade organization GOGLA responds to a recent post from Ceniarth critical of "hype" in the energy access sector. Consider the off-grid market within the context of the wider world and economy around it, say John Keane and Laura Sundblad, and remember that millions of households around the globe live with unreliable, dangerous, inadequate and ultimately extremely expensive means of lighting and basic energy.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing
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Hype in the Energy Access Sector (Finally!)
Leaders at Persistent Energy, an impact investor focused on the renewable sector primarily in West Africa, push back against a recent NextBillion post by Ceniarth positing the industry has become overhyped. While there has been some hype about a handful of established companies, they argue, the bigger concern is that not enough capital is flowing into the sector to give it the opportunity to prove itself.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment
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How Can Inclusive Business Advance the SDGs?
Two recent publications released in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals' first anniversary share the view that inclusive business is a part of the solution to deliver on the SDGs. That's a sign of progress, according to Jenny Melo, but we still need to go deeper in the conversation and ask for impacts, measurements and specific connections.
- Categories
- Education, Energy, Environment, Health Care, Social Enterprise
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Environment Month Takeaway: It’s Time to Bust Some Business Models
The business, technological, financial and political (notwithstanding the U.S. government) tailwinds have never been moving in such alignment toward a cleaner and more sustainable world economy. But as NextBillion editor Scott Anderson points out, it will take truth tellers and, yes, some persistent agitators to make sure this ship stays on course.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Health Care, Investing, Technology