rural electrification

Kenya's government has launched a plan for total electrification in the country by 2022, which acknowledges the role that off-grid systems, mini-grids and stand-alone solar plants can have in complementing extensions to the grid and mitigating higher loads.

While Filipino policymakers ponder a controversial bill that would allow a solar company to set up a micro-grid and transmission franchise aiming to improve power supply across the country, a small town on the island of Mindoro is already enjoying round-the-clock electricity for the first time ever.

More than 8.6 million households have been electrified through India’s ‘Saubhagya' scheme, which seeks to provide solar, storage, LED lighting and other amenities to every willing household across the country, according to a release from the Prime Minister’s office.

The majority of households with PV systems in East Africa have reported an increase in economic activity in the first three months of using the solar power, according to a new report from GOGLA, the global association for the off-grid solar energy industry.

Every village in India now has some form of access to electricity whether it be through an on or off-grid solution, according to prime minister Narendra Modi, however, there are still millions of households across India, both urban and rural, without access to electricity.

UK-based off-grid solar company BBOXX has secured a pioneering package of US$4 million in debt financing from Togo-based bank Union Togolaise de Banque (UTB) to expand its services across the African country.

California-headquartered minigrid company Powerhive, scheduled to attend Solar & Off-grid Renewables Africa in Tanzania next week, is the first private company registered as a utility in Kenya. Andy Colthorpe spoke with Daniel Porras, vice president for impact and communications and a member of the executive team.

The Indian government caused quite the buzz last week when it announced the US$2.5 billion "Saubhagya" scheme to provide electricity access to all households by December 2018. 'Power For All' director William Brent discusses why distributed renewable energy solutions must not be overlooked.

Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi has expressed intentions for the Filipino government to accelerate the deployment of mini-grids using renewable energy in the country to help achieve its goal of total electrification by 2022.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has launched a new programme to electrify every willing household in the country by 31 December 2018, using solar, energy storage batteries and LED lighting.