The document summarizes findings from engagement in East Africa on expanding access to sustainable energy. Key points include: 1) Cross-cutting issues that need to be addressed include improving access to affordable finance, providing support to entrepreneurs, building technical and business capacity, and involving women and youth. 2) For home-based solar solutions like solar home systems and pico-solar lights, substantial advances have been made through cost reductions and more efficient appliances, but quality and financing issues need further work. 3) Mini-grids show promise but high costs remain a challenge; community engagement is important for success.

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FINDINGS OF OUR EAST AFRICA ENGAGEMENT
Date 23 May 2016
Presenter: John Holmes

2. e4sv.org
EAST AFRICA FINDINGS
■Cross-cutting issues
■Home-based supply
■Mini-grids
■Sustainable
development Goals

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CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES
1. Improve access to affordable finance:
■ build/share track records of income streams
■ risk mitigation: credit guarantees
■ reduce transaction costs
2. Provide support to entrepreneurs:
■ business incubation & advice services
■ cut red tape / give breathing space
3. Build capacity:
■ technical/business/institutional/finance sector
4. Create awareness
5. Involve women and youth
6. Don’t give things away

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HOME-BASED SUPPLY: SOLAR HOME SYSTEMS AND
PICO-SOLAR LIGHTS
Substantial
advances
Key factors
• PV cost
reductions
• Increased
efficiency of
appliances
• Pay-as-you-go
3rd
Generation
systems

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HOME-BASED SUPPLY (2): EAST AFRICA
Business driven
Further accelerate rollout by:
■access to finance
■leverage distribution networks
■build skill base

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HOME-BASED SUPPLY (2): EAST AFRICA
Business driven
Further accelerate rollout by:
■access to finance
■leverage distribution networks
■build skill base
Can the East Africa approach be adopted and
adapted for other countries/regions?

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HOME-BASED SUPPLY (3): LOOKING AHEAD
■Tackle problem of poor quality and
counterfeit products
■Needed technical developments:
■Better batteries
■Recycling
■Plug and play
■Control systems
■New PV technologies
■Appliance efficiency

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MINI-GRIDS
 Technical developments reduce
equipment costs
 Economies of scale: replication
 Anchor loads absorb costs
 Reduce set-up overheads
 Reduce financing costs
 Capital cost subsidy
 Get the tariffs right: constraints of
affordability & equality
 Stimulate productive enterprise to
increase incomes
 Increase load factors: improved control
systems & productive enterprises
 Increase level of connections
 Operating cost subsidy
More limited progress – costs greater than revenues – how can
we balance the books?
costs revenues

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MINI-GRIDS (2): COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
■Villagers should be the main drivers
■Build on local knowledge and customs
■Work with trusted individual and
organisations: local champions
■Ensure that the poor have a voice & stake,
not just the powerful
“projects are 70%social / 30% technical”

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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
■Goal 7: level of ambition
■Other goals: integrated approach
■Goal 17: strengthen means of
implementation:
■Better coordination
■Sharing of information
■University collaborations
■Evaluating development outcomes

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Thank you for your attention
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