…ogether demonstrating that we have met our objective to create a self-sustaining market. The Future of Lighting Global Within this ecosystem, IFC will now wind down its market development support activities under Lighting Global this June, as planned. The World Bank, under the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), will continue supporting our Lighting Global activities, as we evolve to the next stage, with increased emphasis on sc…
…ergy access a front-burner issue. Lighting Africa studies indicate that low-income households in Africa spend up to $17 billion annually on expensive but low-quality, unsafe lighting alternatives. Today, close to 600 million people in Africa are without access to electricity. This number represents 60 percent of the world’s 789 million people who do not have any access to electricity. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), 530 million…
…der, and is proven to be effective at incentivizing companies to enter hard-to-serve geographical areas. However, it can be relatively expensive, and has limited impact if companies remain working capital constrained. Credit Guarantees can enable companies to access finance from local or international investors, but this kind of support often has low visibility, making it difficult for governments to take credit for their role in the companies’ ac…
…id solar ecosystem, driving expansion, creating local jobs and reaching low-income customers. Support for enterprises working throughout the sector, with the right type of capital, is crucial. Energy Access Impact Perhaps most concerning, though, is the effect of a slowdown in growth on energy access and other development impacts. Naturally, with less products sold, fewer families are accessing clean, safe electricity and more households are left…
…extreme weather and the economic impact of COVID-19 plunging many Kenyans into darkness, alternative energy sources are increasingly important – even for families connected to the grid, said Pamela Mukami Njeru, a community health volunteer in the central Mt. Kenya region. One in four Kenyans – mostly in rural areas – do not have access to electricity. Those who do face high costs and frequent blackouts due to an unreliable supply. As cases of th…
…supports increased profitability at various phases including launching, refining, or pivoting. P2P is also ideal for investors and donors looking to better understand and assess unit economic performance of prospective or current portfolio companies. BACKGROUND AND RESPONSE The off-grid solar industry has entered a new stage of development that requires substantial investment to progress to the next level. To access this working capital, firm-leve…
…in rural areas, and depend on agricultural activities – for sustenance, or income, or both. With so many unable to power or afford appliances, a full 65% of land in Sub-Saharan Africa is tilled, ploughed, and weeded manually, resulting in globally low farm yields – while over a quarter of the adult population in the region suffers from food insecurity. Electrical appliances, such as irrigation systems and refrigeration, could increase food product…
…ines the fee. Eligibility is based on a strong history of success in maintaining compliance with the Quality Standards. This fee covers: Sampling for follow up AVM testing ($500). This fee assumes random sampling from the manufacturer warehouse is used for AVM-follow up testing and that shipping to the lab is paid by the manufacturer. If market sampling for AVM-follow up testing is required, additional fees will be charged for procurement and ship…
…ith power ratings less than or equal to 350 Watts is released. IEC/TS 62257-9-8:2020 is the second IEC document for renewable energy products to be released in Chinese language (with IEC/TS 62257-9-5:2018 being the first in October 2019). “The publication of Chinese editions of the international standards will play a positive role in further promoting the use of IEC off-grid quality standards in China and align manufacturers with the regulatory re…
Global Off-Grid Solar Industry Grows into a $1.75 billion Annual Market, New Report Shows NAIROBI, Feb. 18, 2020 – The off-grid solar industry has grown into a $1.75 billion annual market, providing lighting and other energy services to 420 million users and remains on a solid growth curve, a new World Bank Group and GOGLA report shows. The 2020 Off-Grid Solar Market Trends Report finds that the industry has made tremendous strides in the past de…