Publication database

Foreign companies operating in a ‘host’ country’s private sector play an important role in fostering inclusive development in these nations. This PhD thesis, exploring the contributions of the Dutch private sector to inclusive development in Kenya’s three most important sectors, tea, flower and renewable energy, finds that private companies operate in a very specific context and must adapt to existing local circumstances that are often not automatically inclusive.

While the struggle of rural communities to access quality health services has long been a critical issue, the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the essential role that electricity plays in rural health care facilities. Against this emergency background, DRE solutions offer a clean and cheap opportunity to electrify rural health care facilities. Showcasing 16 case studies from ARE Members, this publication aims to demonstrate the ability of DRE solutions to quickly deliver sustainable, reliable power to rural health care facilities and to serve as inspiration for new DRE projects.

The factsheet shortly explains the role of IFC in financing inclusive business endeavours. Describing untapped business opportunities among low-income communities, the article emphasizes the win-win of inclusive business models for economic growth and human development.

As power supply in Nigeria´s electricity grid is unreliable, Lumos, an off-grid solar company provides access to affordable and reliable electricity to homes and businesses in Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire through its solar home systems. The report focuses on Lumos' customers. Especially, their experiences with the electricity grid before accessing solar home systems, their educational and financial backgrounds, if they are using solar power privately or for business and their feedback on possible improvement of Lumos' power supply.   

This report presents a case study of how women and men in rural Tanzania are affected differently by the arrival of off-grid electricity in their homes, and the extent to which access contributes towards women’s empowerment. It aims to inform work by enterprises, as well as funders and policy makers so that women in Tanzania and beyond are meaningfully included in the sustainable energy transition. In order to do this, our study tests assumptions about the impact of household solar technologies on women’s lives so that companies can ensure their products and services are inclusive and avoid reinforcing gender inequality.

At the GOGLA Forum in Nairobi six active lenders to PAYG companies - SIMA, SunFunder, responsAbility, OIKO credit, Lendahand and CDC Group - shared their lessons learned and provided an outlook on the sector. This short report is a structured summary and reflection on the key points that came up.

The report takes customer-led view of the impact of the off-grid energy sector, as well as the relative performance of the sub-sectors within it.

This evidence review assesses the impact of electricity on development outcome in emerging economies. It considers the evidence of impact in macroeconomic, microeconomic, social, and environmental areas to help investors maximise impact across investments in power.

This report assesses the extent to which inclusive business models promote women's economic empowerment in Asia and Latin America. It looks at Inclusive businesses that involve women in their value chain and provide specific services that help low-income women.

Based on interviews with movers and shapers involved in off-grid electrification projects in Africa and Asia this paper looks at how standalone electricity and mini-grids can increase access to electricity. It opportunities and challenges and comes up with a five-point plan to accelerate electrification.