Publication: Tracking Advances in Access to Electricity Using Satellite-Based Data and Machine Learning to Complement Surveys
Date
2021-04-15
ISSN
Published
2021-04-15
Author(s)
Dhorne, Milien
Nicolas, Claire
Arderne, Christopher
Besnard, Juliette
Abstract
Access to electricity is widely
considered a major determinant of socioeconomic development.
But despite long-standing efforts to expand access, 789
million people remained without electricity in 2018.
Accurate and reliable data to keep track of electrification
efforts must be the first step toward achieving universal
access. Monitoring access with the finest granularity and
taking into account local socioeconomic characteristics
enable a realistic depiction of electrification progress.
Such data can be used to plan efficient and robust energy
access policies and programs, to raise public awareness of
the urgency of action, to sustain the pace of
electrification, and ultimately to connect the
hardest-to-reach populations. In addition to identifying
where efforts should be targeted, high-resolution data are
needed to show which electricity supply options are most
relevant. Remote sensing techniques and geographic
information systems have revolutionized data collection by
providing a range of location-specific information that was
not previously accessible. The use of standardized
geospatial tools and methods has made it possible to offer
countries technical assistance and operational support for
the development of national electrification strategies,
least-cost electrification plans, and country-based
investment prospectuses that combine grid, mini-grid, and
off-grid technologies.
Citation
“Dhorne, Milien; Nicolas, Claire; Arderne, Christopher; Besnard, Juliette. 2021. Tracking Advances in Access to Electricity Using Satellite-Based Data and Machine Learning to Complement Surveys. Live Wire;2021/113. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/35473 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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