Publication database

This roadmap is a step-by-step guide for off-grid clean energy companies to identify and adopt strategies to serve female customers more effectively. The roadmap was developed by the Power Africa Off-grid Project following a pilot with GDC member Simusolar to develop a market-focused gender strategy. By following this roadmap, your company can gain a deeper understanding of female farmers’ demands and challenges—distinct from those of men—in gaining access to productive use of energy (PUE) technology. Power Africa is grateful to Simusolar for its collaboration and willingness to share the lessons and tools in this roadmap.

This research features first-hand insights and lessons learned from 13 last mile distributors (LMDs) that have experience of testing or selling productive use of energy (PUE) products. These kinds of products – from solar pumps and mills, to fridges and freezers – can be transformational for last mile consumers. But ensuring consumers are able to realise income and productivity gains from using these technologies is complex. The learnings presented in this report, in GDC members’ own voices, are not exhaustive; they are intended to help other LMDs to navigate various complexities on their own PUE journey. This report was produced as part of a project in partnership with Solar Sister, and financed by EEP Africa.

This how-to-guide from the Global Distributors Collective is useful for last mile distributors looking to expand their product offering for customers. Exploring what this means for different distribution models, as well as key factors to consider including market, impact, organisational and logistical fit, the guide also features four case studies from the GDC membership. It was produced via a project delivered in partnership with Solar Sister and financed by EEP Africa.

Last mile distributors (LMDs) are primarily dedicated to getting beneficial products, including solar lights, water filters, nutrition products and improved cooking solutions to underserved areas. However, they face difficulties in reaching last mile consumers. The“Last Mile Distribution: State of the sector report” presents data and insights and provides tangible recommendations for stakeholders on how to engage with and support the sector.

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.

The off-grid solar energy industry is generating thousands of jobs across East, West and Central Africa as well as South Asia. GOGLA's latest report Off-Grid Solar. A Growth Engine for Jobs estimates the sector currently supports 370,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs across these four regions. With investments and the right policies, the off-grid solar sector could create 1.3 million FTE jobs across East, West and Central Africa as well as South Asia by 2022.

This document presents ENERGIA’s four-year journey to create and upscale womencentric energy enterprises that sell safe, reliable and affordable energy solutions to low-income consumers in underserved areas. As a learning document, it seeks to analyse the various strategies with which ENERGIA has worked in different contexts. It draws out common features of the most promising ones, as well as lessons from efforts that did not go so well, or even failed completely.

Bringing essential services to the poor, whether in remote rural areas, provincial towns, or in the slums of megacities, is a great challenge for governments in developing countries. Endeva has supported the World Bank’s Innovation Unit to systematically assess innovative business models that provide products and services to the poor, thus better understanding how to raise awareness of problems and solutions, designing products that address their needs, and making these products available and affordable.