Off-grid solar lights up 60% of Papua New Guinea households

An IFC report states that Papua New Guinea has achieved dramatic growth in the use of off-grid solar products with 60% of households now using solar lighting, compared to just 2% seven years ago.

The report, Going the Distance: Off-Grid Lighting Market Dynamics in Papua New Guinea shows the Oceania country has one of the highest rates of use of off-grid solar lighting in the developing world.

It’s a move driven by the success of IFC’s Lighting PNG programme, which has helped 22% of the population – or 1.8 million people – gain access to off-grid solar lighting and mobile phone charging for the first time.

Drawing on extensive research in-country, the report says the market for solar solutions now stands at about $260 million a year and is expected to grow over the next five years.