Last week saw the launch of the new Africa Development Bank Green Mini-Grid (GMG) Help Desk to build momentum behind the continent’s clean energy development. The Help Desk—operated by Energy4Impact and INENSUS GmbH as part of the SE4All Green Mini Grid Market Development Program—provides catalytic support to the GMG sector. The launch comes as new research anticipates a 60% reduction in the cost of solar PV mini-grids, and as policy-maker support for GMGs has seen rapid growth around the world—notably in India and Nigeria, the countries with the world’s largest number of people living without electricity. …India and Nigeria, the countries with the world’s largest number of people living without electricity… https://www.powerforall.org/insights/technologies/mini-grid-momentum-rise
Momentum is building as India moves towards meeting its clean energy targets. Recognizing the tremendous growth potential and opportunity to overhaul India’s energy sector, the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy convened policymakers, investors and key clean energy stakeholders at the World Renewable Energy Technology Congress in New Delhi this week to focus on accelerating the market and achieving India’s goals of installing 175 gigawatts (GW) of renewable power by 2022.Momentum is building as India moves towards meeting its clean energy targets. …India’s energy sector, the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy convened policymakers, investors and key clean energy stakeholders at the World Renewable Energy Technology Congress in New Delhi this week to focus on accelerating the market and achieving India’s goals of installing 175 gigawatts (GW) of renewable power by 2022… https://www.powerforall.org/news-media/articles/green-fund-needed-unlock-finance-and-achieve-indias-clean-energy-goals
NITI Aayog, the government policy think tank in India, has recommended that the country’s Small Hydro Power (SHP) target of 5 GW by 2022 be advanced to 2019–20, which it says will aid in balancing variable solar energy in decentralized locations. …India, has recommended that the country’s Small Hydro Power (SHP) target of 5 GW by 2022 be advanced to 2019–20, which it says will aid in balancing variable solar energy in decentralized locations… https://www.powerforall.org/news-media/articles/small-hydro-target-moved-india
A key lesson from the past decade of electrification in India and the surge of decentralized energy technologies is that grid extension and decentralized solutions are complementary. Although distributed power may be a viable alternative to grid extension in sparsely populated countries with limited electric grid infrastructure, in India the problems with the electric grid have more to do with governance than with geography. Therefore, the best way forward is to combine power sector reform and distributed power generation under an integrated policy framework. …India and the surge of decentralized energy technologies is that grid extension and decentralized solutions are complementary… https://www.powerforall.org/countries/india/sector-reform-distributed-technology-24x7-power
Riccardo Puliti, the newly appointed head of energy and extractives at the World Bank in charge of investing $8 billion a year, says that Africa and India will be the bank’s main focus, and he will pursue an all-of-the-above approach, with a major focus on natural gas and renewables, while coal will remain off limits. …India will be the bank’s main focus, and he will pursue an all-of-the-above approach, with a major focus on natural gas and renewables, while coal will remain off limits… https://www.powerforall.org/insights/policy/new-energy-boss-targets-access-africa-world-bank-priorities
An innovative project in India to aggregate power generated from microgrid-powered solar irrigation into farmer-owned electricity cooperatives is showing impressive results, with the potential to save India’s government $10 billion in farm power subsidies, conserve scarce groundwater and eliminate 5% of India’s total GHG emissions. …India to aggregate power generated from microgrid-powered solar irrigation into farmer-owned electricity cooperatives is showing impressive results, with the potential to save India’s government $10 billion in farm power subsidies, conserve scarce groundwater and eliminate 5% of India’s total GHG emissions… https://www.powerforall.org/news-media/news-and-announcements/how-distributed-solar-can-save-india-10-billion-eliminate-5-emissions-increase-farmer-incomes
Many of India’s leading mini-grid developers launched their businesses by powering remote telco towers close to communities lacking reliable electricity. While this model has provided guaranteed off-take and revenue, the search is now on for additional (and more productive) anchor loads as the mini-grid market evolves and innovates. …India’s leading mini-grid developers launched their businesses by powering remote telco towers close to communities lacking reliable electricity… https://www.powerforall.org/news-media/articles/cold-storage-next-killer-app-green-mini-grids
Off-grid solar leader Greenlight Planet directly manages 2,000 sales agents in India, with its distributors employing another 10,000. Here is the story of one woman and the impact of solar on her life. …India, with its distributors employing another 10,000. Her neighborhood in the southern Indian city of Bangalore experienced them fairly regularly… https://www.powerforall.org/insights/impact/solar-jobs-india-changing-lives
NITI Aayog, the government policy think tank in India, has recommended that the country’s Small Hydro Power (SHP) target of 5 GW by 2022 be advanced to 2019–20, which it says will aid in balancing variable solar energy in decentralized locations. …India, has recommended that the country’s Small Hydro Power (SHP) target of 5 GW by 2022 be advanced to 2019–20, which it says will aid in balancing variable solar energy in decentralized locations… https://www.powerforall.org/countries/india/small-hydro-target-moved-india
The chief electricity regulator in India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh (UP), has said out loud what many have been saying behind closed doors for a while: India's very high-profile campaign to extend its electric grid nationally by 2019 and provide energy access to every Indian, is distorting the reality on the ground. Desh Deepak Verma, whose UP Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) is responsible for serving 200 million people, said claims of rapid advances in electrification, especially in hard to reach rural areas, must come under scrutiny. …India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh (UP), has said out loud what many have been saying behind closed doors for a while: India's very high-profile campaign to extend its electric grid nationally by 2019 and provide energy access to every Indian, is distorting the reality on the ground… https://www.powerforall.org/insights/asia/regulator-indias-rural-electrification-fiction-solution-must-include-mini-grids