Frontier Markets
Facebook, Microsoft Join in Launch of Sustainable Microgrid Investment Accelerator
Facebook and Microsoft are joining the growing ranks of leading high-tech industry players aiming to expand sustainable energy access and renewable energy microgrid deployment across the developing world. Partnering with clean energy venture capital specialists at Allotrope Partners, the high-tech industry leaders aim to raise $50 million from 2018-2020 to expand sustainable energy access in East Africa, India and Indonesia.
Read more →Competition Heats Up in Kenya’s Off-Grid, Mobile Pay-Go Solar Market
An average 800 Kenyan households per day are signing up for d.light's new D30 off-grid solar home system.
Read more →VizN to Build Solar-Flow Battery Microgrid at Luxury Nicaraguan Residential Resort
The 200kW/800kWh zinc-iron flow battery will be linked with an 800kWp PV solar array to provide multiple energy services at the Ranco Santana luxury residential/vacation resort on Nicaragua's Pacific coast.
Read more →20-Plus Million Bangladeshis Now Have Access to Clean, Affordable Home Solar
Driven primarily by rapid deployment of small-scale, off-grid home solar PV-energy storage systems, access to electricity in Bangladesh has risen from 47% to 80% since 2009.
Read more →Episcopalian, Methodist Churches Plow $60MM into Developing World Off-Grid Solar
The Church Pension Fund and Wespath Benefits and Investments have invested $60 million ($30 million each) in Developing World Markets’ (DWM) landmark $60.8 million ORCA (Off-grid Renewables-Climate Action) note.
Read more →MTN, Lumos Global Expect to Empower 1 Million Nigerians with Launch of Mobile Electricity Service
The advent of off-grid, mobile pay-go household solar energy systems is producing amazing results in a growing range of Sub-Saharan nations. The MTN-Lumos partnership serves as a prime example.
Read more →Haiti Solar Micro-Utility Amps Up, 20x Expansion in Customer Base on Tap
The first to be awarded funding from ElectriFi, pioneering renewable energy micro-utiliy Sigora International aims to expand the customer base of its pilot, community solar microgrid from 5,000 to 136,000 (27,000 accounts).
Read more →Ugandan Off-Grid Solar, Low-Cost Internet Access Poised for a Growth Spurt
Uganda's national off-grid solar and renewable power iniative brightens prospects for the economy, society and the environment. Entrepreneurial African solar start-ups are keen to contribute.
Read more →Uganda Mobile Pay-Go Solar Provider Doubles Customer Base to 100,000 in 12 Months
Fenix International's ReadyPay line of high-efficiency, off-grid mobile pay-go solar products are proving very popular with Ugandans. The socioeconomic and environmental advantages and benefits should serve them in good stead for many years to come.
Read more →D.light Raises Another $10.5MM as Kenya Launches $150MM Mobile Pay-Go Solar Plan
A mix of equity and grant funding, the capital infusion brings the total amount d.light has raised over the past four months to more than $40 million, highlighting growing investor confidence in mobile pay-go solar as an effective means of sustainable socioeconomic development..
Read more →Bangladesh Emerges as a Hotbed for Solar Microgrids, P2P Energy Trading
Bangladeshi clean enegy entrepreneurs are playing a key role in the installation of home solar PV-energy storage and community microgrids in Bangladesh. Access to reliable, safe and affordable emissions-free electricity is improving lives and livelihoods throughout the country.
Read more →Zimbabwe Off-Grid Solar Start-up Lands Kiva Direct to Social Enterprise Loan
Providing mobile "pay as you go" home solar loans, Zonful Energy tapped into Kiva's new Direct to Social Enterprise Fund to secure a $50,000 loan that will enable it to deploy the PAYG mobile payments soloution to remote and rural areas.
Read more →A Solar-Plus-Storage Microgrid at a South Pacific Resort Collects SEANZ Award For PowerSmart
PowerSmart garnered two first-prize awards at the Solar Electricity Association of New Zealand's annual conference, one for an off-grid solar PV-energy stoarge min-grid being built for the Vanabuku luxury residentital resort project and another grid-connected prize for an installation at New Zealand's Yealands Estate Winery.
Read more →Solar Startup Harnesses the Power of the Sun and the Mighty Zambesi
Construction of the first three of a planned 12 hybrid solar-hydroelectric microgrids highlights the creative, effective ways multilateral Power Africa off-grid energy program partners are teaming up with African entrepreneurs to bring affordable, reliable, emissions-free electricity access to rural communities for the first time.
Read more →A Solar-Storage Microgrid for Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Small in size at 10-kW of solar power and 95-kWh of zinc-iron battery energy storage, the proposed project nonetheless highlights the leading role the National Park Service and other branches of the Federal government can and are playing in reducing greenhouse gas emissions reductions and ramping up use of local renewable energy resources.
Read more →Haiti Microgrid Developer Wakes Up To Daunting New Role In Wake Of Hurricane Matthew
In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, Sigora was on hand to support emergency relief efforts. Now the clean energy microutility is raising $96k and leveraging its supply chain, private sector networks, and local community ties to get critical assistance…
Read more →The ABC Approach to Microgrid Development in Frontier Markets
Addressing this financial issue is an emerging model for rural microgrid installation, the phased “ABC” deployment approach. This approach is based on first addressing an (A) anchor client (typically the largest user in a community), next expanding the system to…
Read more →Africa And The Policy Push For Mini-Grid Growth
In Africa’s quest for power sufficiency, there is a vehicle, a driver and the passengers. With the private sector/investor’s interest being the driver, governments & policies, the “vehicle” must be optimized. African governments (through policies) are the most potent vehicle…
Read more →The Investment Case for Mini-Grids and Off-Grids in Africa
Since the mid-1990s, external finance to Africa’s power sector has averaged only around US$600m per year of public assistance, plus a similar volume of private finance, according to the World Bank. Africa’s critical need for development requires rapid and effective…
Read more →Microgrid Business Models Gain Traction In Kenya As Africa Leapfrogs Electric Grid
Kenya Microgrid Company SteamaCo Is Deploying Renewable Energy, Pay-As-You-Go Microgrids In Rural Africa One of the most interesting aspects of distributed energy is that rural areas in developing countries have a major advantage. Not only do they have the most…
Read more →