Theme: Off Grid Utilities

DFC & SF Launch New Collaboration to Accelerate Access to Renewable Energy & Gender Inclusion

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WASHINGTON – The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Shell Foundation (the UK-registered charity) yesterday announced a new collaboration to bring affordable renewable energy to more than 5 million people in low-income areas of Africa and Asia by 2025. The organizations recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding that enhances their ability to support the…

Consumer Study shows impact of mini-grids on Nigerian communities

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A new consumer study from Nayo Tropical Technology Limited (NTT) shows the material impact of solar mini-grids in Nigeria on livelihoods, income and education. NTT currently owns and operates four solar mini-grids, and is expanding its portfolio with 14 new mini-grids under construction. Shell Foundation has supported NTT since 2019 with co-funding from UKAID, USAID…

CrossBoundary Energy Access open source its mini-grid financing approach

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CrossBoundary Energy Access (CBEA), the blended finance facility for mini-grids, has open sourced their approach to investing infrastructure capital across Africa. Shell Foundation supported the establishment of CBEA in 2018 alongside Rockefeller Foundation and with co-funding from UK Aid. CBEA invests blended capital directly into mini-grid projects serving rural African households and businesses. The business…

VentureBuilder makes first investment in local-run company in Mali

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SF partner VentureBuilder recently led an investment round that enabled an off-grid solar company to secure financing of more than US$1 million in Mali. The investment represents VentureBuilder’s first investment since being established, with funding from SF, USAID and DOEN Foundation, to support locally-owned and managed energy enterprises with early-stage equity financing and enterprise development…

AMDA: Benchmarking Africa’s mini-grids

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The African Mini-Grid Developers Association, co-created by SF in 2018, has released its first major publication, ‘Benchmarking Africa’s Mini-Grids’, which uses coordinated sector data to provide a detailed overview of the sector in Africa. “With this report, we’re opening the door to a new era in the mini-grid sector,” said Aaron Leopold, AMDA’s CEO. “Transparency…

The continued investment case for mobility start-ups

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The mobility service sector has been hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 crisis, with extended lockdowns preventing businesses providing transport of people and goods. A new article published on The City Fix website however, demonstrates the opportunities contained within mobility start-ups’ business pivots and highlights the increased understanding of the value of more resilient, cleaner,…

Looking beyond SDG7: wider socioeconomic benefits of off-grid solar

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840 million people worldwide still lack access to energy, the majority of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. Off-grid solar is playing a key role in helping to lower this number — by end 2019, 280 million people had enjoyed an improved electricity access thanks to an off-grid solar source.[1] To do this, we commissioned Altai…

Digitizing & unlocking climate finance for the off-grid Sector

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Achieving energy access (SDG7) while tackling climate change (SDG13): Learnings and next steps post a proof-of-concept implementation It is a global responsibility to end energy poverty through access to clean, affordable and sustainable energy, whilst tackling climate change. Energy access acts as a catalyst for the growth of developing societies and economies. Yet, clean energy…

Odyssey – providing data platform for Covid-19 relief efforts

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Data and sector coordination is vital as we seek to maintain essential energy services to low income consumers across Africa and Asia. Shell Foundation partner Odyssey, who we have supported since 2017 with co-funding from the UK government and USAID, have been working to utilise their online platform to provide the mini-grid sector with project…

SF alumni Redavia offering six months’ free business solar

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Redavia’s Covid-19 Resilience Lease is providing free solar to businesses in Ghana and Kenya. Reliable, cost-effective, and clean solar power remains a vital necessity for businesses, especially during this difficult time of economic uncertainty. Redavia, who we supported between 2014-2019 with co-funding from the UK government, designs, manufactures, deploys and maintains mobile solar farms, enabling…