Lighting Global: How African governments should respond to the huge demand for energy access CNBC Africa February 18, 2020 The Global Association for the Off-grid Solar Energy Industry, the World Bank Group’s Lighting Global program, in partnership with Kenya’s Ministry of Energy are hosting a three-day international conference of the off-grid sector. During the conference, … Read More
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 … Read More
For over a decade, Lighting Global Quality Assurance has operated as the foundational platform for the off-grid solar industry, serving as a critical and stabilizing force. By working with the sector to set quality standards, promote durable off-grid products, and adopt harmonized policies, Lighting Global Quality Assurance has instilled confidence in what was once a … Read More
Later this year, the International Electrotechnical Commission, a leading international standards organization, will for the first time publish quality standards for standalone solar energy kits. This development opens the door to the widespread national adoption of these standards and will boost consumer protection efforts. In January, IEC Technical Committee 82 voted unanimously to approve publication of Technical … Read More
This article originally appeared at Standard Media By Charles Keter, Kenya Cabinet Secretary for Energy The robustly growing Kenyan market for solar home systems has continued to have positive impact on the socio-economic fabric of our society. Indeed, according to a recent World Bank-funded study, Kenya has now become the world’s second largest stand-alone solar … Read More
Our friends at 60 Decibels recently launched an impact performance report: a customer-led view of the off-grid energy sector. This work spans countries and continents, and captures the voices of the 25,000+ customers. The 49 companies represented in the report are providing cookstoves, appliances, solar home systems, solar lanterns, and mini-grids to families across the … Read More
Happy New Year! Over the past twelve months, the quality assurance team worked hard to strengthen the QA program to deliver greater value to the off-grid solar sector. The demand for our services remains strong. In 2019 alone, we signed nearly 100 agreements with suppliers and issued approximately the same number of verification letters. We … Read More
This story was originally published on the World Bank Energy website. Nearly 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still don’t have access to grid electricity, and hundreds of millions more live with unreliable connections, plagued by frequent black-outs. The majority of these off-grid households are in rural areas, and depend on agricultural activities – for … Read More
Together with ESMAP, Lighting Global has advertised a Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) for work on a Toolkit for Gender Equality in the Off-Grid Solar Sector. To view and apply to the REOI, please login into the WBG eConsultant2 system at: https://wbgeconsult2.worldbank.org/wbgec/index.html and access the selection details page. The deadline for submitting an EOI … Read More
Revolution is possible in the next few years to develop products and business models that can replace privately operated back-up generators at scale By Philippe Le Houérou CEO of International Finance Corporation (IFC) You can hear—and smell—them everywhere you go in the world’s poorest countries. Diesel-burning back-up generators wail through neighborhoods at all hours, cough noxious … Read More