Solar grids for remote communities

The Universal Energy Facility (UEF), a results-based financing facility, managed by Power Up coalition member Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), has recently installed solar powered mini-grids in eight communities in Madagascar bringing affordable, reliable and sustainable power to remote areas. 

The initial 542 connections, installed by developer WeLight, will provide over 2,170 people with electricity, whilst also powering important community services and businesses. 

And more mini-grids, supported by the UEF, are under construction in Benin and Sierra Leone where they are set to deliver approximately 14,000 electricity connections. 

In the rural Madagascan community of Ampasimatera, situated in the north of the African island, the new mini-grids will provide fresh economic opportunities for local residents. 

“Electricity alone cannot create all the conditions for economic growth, but it is an essential element to meet the needs of the population of Ampasimatera in order to facilitate the development of economic activities in the commune,” said Thyerry Rozenaly, Mayor of Ampasimatera. 

“We are thankful for this grant that will be instrumental in bringing productive electricity to villagers and trigger economic growth and positive social impacts in eight new villages across Madagascar,” added Romain de Villeneuve, CEO, WeLight Africa. 

Launched in October 2020, the UEF is a multi-donor facility that provides grants to eligible organisations once the connections they establish have been verified. Under this results-based model, companies are incentivised to build at speed and scale – in contrast to a traditional procurement model for financing energy projects. 

A new wave of the UEF was also launched on 24 August and focuses on supporting Stand-Alone Solar for Productive Use (SSPU), starting with Nigeria. This wave is designed to scale up access to electricity for households, micro, small and medium enterprises.