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Unlocking potential through access to energy – how Bboxx is leveraging technology and forging partnerships to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals

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Bboxx exists to solve a major global problem: energy poverty. 840 million people across the globe currently live without electricity while a further 1 billion are connected to an unreliable and expensive electrical grid, significantly hindering economic growth. Access to clean, reliable and affordable energy is indispensable. Not only is it a basic right but it is also a stepping stone to further economic development. Driving impact though pioneering technology At Bboxx, we are proud to have positively impacted the lives of over 1 million people through access to clean, reliable and affordable electricity via our solar home systems (SHS). We have also just launched a campaign to celebrate this major achievement for the business. Our disruptive technology is at the heart of what we do. Bboxx would not have been able to achieve such scale over the last 10 years without it. Bboxx Pulse™, our comprehensive management platform, uses Internet of Things technology to remotely m
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Why Haiti is full of opportunity for off-grid energy companies

By Jean-François Péan, Senior Investment Manager with Bamboo Capital Partners and OGEF team member, and Stephanie Nsom, consulting energy specialist, World Bank Haiti is likely to attract more and more solar off-grid companies in 2020! Haiti’s growing energy needs combined with low electrification rates are creating unique opportunities for dynamic off-grid companies. Off-grid companies can benefit from an expanding consumer market and a comprehensive support infrastructure established by the Haitian Government, in close partnership with the World Bank and with funding support from the Clean Technology Fund. The USD 17.22 million Off-Grid Electricity Fund (OGEF) was launched in March 2019 with the goal of providing equity and debt financing and market development support to commercially viable businesses and enterprises that can provide modern energy services in rural and peri-urban areas of Haiti. OGEF is also setting up a Results-Based Financing (RBF) grant scheme for solar
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5 questions you should ask your off-grid solar panel supplier

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By OPES Solutions The off-grid solar module production only accounts for 1% of the global photovoltaic industry. The largest solar companies are not active in this field. It is too different from their standard production setup. This means that despite rapid growth in demand for these modules, specialized companies are essential for driving this segment towards a commodity market. On this journey, information exchange and standardization are key. The more you know about how your manufacturer thinks and works, and the more they know about your product and plans, the better the job can be done. This is achieved by asking your supplier the right questions. Ask about the production equipment, what it does and how much labor it saves. Ask about the capacity, though you can sometimes quickly estimate this for yourself by using, for example, the cells per minute in a stringer to make a calculation. 1.    How can you help me to have a better system? Share key information abou
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Leveraging Data Insights to Scale Off-Grid Solar Businesses

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Data insights can play a powerful role in the off-grid solar distribution sector. At Angaza, we leverage data in two primary ways to help businesses grow. First and foremost, we provide data analytics that enable our customers to gain insight into their active loan portfolio, client base, product offerings and overall operations, allowing them to make informed decisions with confidence. More recently, we have begun to tap into this same wealth of data to help investors in the sector more efficiently deploy debt capital to scaling distributors through the SIMA Angaza Distributor Financing Fund. Unlocking Valuable Insights on the Angaza Platform When distributors use the Angaza platform and mobile app to collect and manage valuable client, payment and product information, they gain access to a number of features that extract intelligence from the data. In order to turn this data into actionable insights, it is imperative to make it easy to understand and relevant. That’s wh
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As the off-grid solar industry looks to the future, GOGLA helps to protect its assets

By Koen Peters, GOGLA Executive Director The off-grid solar market is about to enter its second decade of significance. What began as a handful of entrepreneurs with a mission to eradicate energy poverty, and with new technology to make that possible, is now quickly developing into a thriving industry. An industry that already brought improved energy access to more than 280 million people , helping them save money, earn more income and enjoy improved health, safety, and overall life quality. GOGLA is proud to represent a sector that changes people’s lives for the better every single day. It is good to step back and consider the massive progress the industry made in the last 10 years - if only, to recognize what assets have been created, and how much value they hold as foundations for the future growth of the industry. Look back at the early years, when the industry preferred to work mostly under the radar because governments couldn’t possibly take these ‘toys’ seriously. And see
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Four reasons to engage in Haiti’s renewable energy sector this year

By Stephanie Nsom, Energy Specialist, The World Bank The conditions for investment in Haiti’s renewable energy sector are significantly improving since Haiti’s president, Jovenel Moïse, came into office almost a year ago. On multiple occasions, the President has stated his support for renewable energies and that the reform and development of the country’s energy sector is a priority item for his Government. As a result, Haiti has today a clearly defined set of objectives around energy access and renewable energy. New policies and attractive support schemes for the private sector will hopefully encourage investment. Read on for four reasons to engage in Haiti’s energy sector in 2018. As the first promising outcomes of Government commitment, the President has launched - in July last year – an initiative called Caravan of Change that targets infrastructure improvements including electricity access. In addition, Haiti’s Government has waived custom duties on all solar and wind en
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Off-Grid Solar in Myanmar – Vast Opportunities in a Challenging Market

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By Sascha Brandt, GOGLA Communication & Project Officer Myanmar has one of the lowest electrification rates in Asia: Only one third of the population has access to the electricity grid. At the same time, Myanmar is “among the regions with very feasible potential for PV power generation”, The World Bank’s ESMAP program found in a 2017 analysis . Mobile phone connections have increased sharply since 2014 to over 40 million in a country of 52 million inhabitants where 70 percent of the population lives in rural areas . The opportunities for off-grid solar providers are thus immense – but so are the challenges. Off-Grid Solar Companies Have Ambitious Plans for Myanmar SolarHome and Greenlight Planet are among the GOGLA members who have launched operations in Myanmar. SolarHome Asia recently announced it is currently installing 1,000 solar home systems per month. The Singapore-based company plans to invest over 5 million USD In the Myanmar market expecting to serve at least 4
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