Publication: Five Government Approaches to Promote Solar Hybrid Mini grids in Africa: Which Works When—and Why?
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Published
2025-02-14
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2025-02-14
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Tenenbaum, Bernard
Greacen, Chris
Shrestha, Ashish
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Abstract
Different private sector-led and government-led approaches to the development of solar hybrid mini grids are found around the world. Five approaches used in Africa are reviewed here. Each works better in some contexts than in others; each has advantages and disadvantages. In private-sector-led approaches, private developers choose mini grid sites based on their own criteria; in government-led approaches, governments conduct competitive procurements to award individual sites or zonal concessions. In a variant of the government-led approach, utilities help private companies create and operate mini grids that are later absorbed into the utility’s power system. All approaches involve capital subsidies. What is at stake here Rapid expansion of access to electricity depends on finding the best way to promote mini grids in countries with different starting conditions.
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“Tenenbaum, Bernard; Greacen, Chris; Shrestha, Ashish; Knuckles, James. 2025. Five Government Approaches to Promote Solar Hybrid Mini grids in Africa: Which Works When—and Why?. Live Wire; 2025/138. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/42825 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO.”
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