The rise of energy efficiency and captive solar in SSA

The Annual Solar Outlook 2022 says the SHS market has remained solid in most African countries despite COVID-19 pandemic related challenges. SHS providers also continue to rival with ingenuity as they come up with better, cheaper and more diversified solutions to reach the millions across Africa who still lack access to electricity.

Minigrids are also a special form of solar capacity that is not to be found in the developed world, but which Africa excels at.

While the expectation is that minigrids will build a pool of electricity access in villages with a strong focus on enabling C&I activity through productive use of energy initiatives “minigrids stakeholders are still battling to reach economies of scale and reach undisputable commercial viability.”

The report holds up high CAPEX and inadequate policy as the two main obstacles to this goal.

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