World Bank advises acceleration of solar mini grids to power 490m people by 2030

• Solar mini grids can power almost half a billion individuals by 2030 yet to attain this action is needed to increase their implementation, the World Bank stated on Tuesday.

Solar mini grids have actually ended up being the least-cost resource of continuous electrical energy for towns and cities with no or weak grid connection, with their prices falling to USD 0.38 per (EUR 0.39) kWh now from USD 0.55 per kWh in 2018.

To aid unlock their potential, however, the expense of power from solar hybrid mini grids should drop to USD 0.20 per kWh by 2030. Various other encouraging actions include integrating mini grids right into nationwide electrification plans and designing funding solutions adjusted to mini grid jobs' risk accounts, discussed Riccardo Puliti, Infrastructure Vice President at the World Bank.

"Currently more than ever, solar mini grids are a core remedy for shutting the energy accessibility gap," mentioned Puliti.

According to the announcement, concerning 733 million individuals, mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa, do not have accessibility to electrical energy.

To power 490 million people by 2030, greater than 217,000 mini grids will require to be built at the expense of USD 127 billion. At the existing price, 44,800 new mini grids will be developed at an expense USD 37 billion which will certainly be only sufficient to power 80 million people.

The World Bank's Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP), has actually published a book on mini grids, entitled Mini Grids for Half a Billion people: Market Outlook and Handbook for Decision Makers.