Mon, 24 June, 2024
Those who benefit immediately from this project are local rural villagers. They will not only have electricity for basic needs like water pumping and cooling, but also for agricultural machinery.
The biggest impact of the project however is that it creates technologies and a business model that include everyone. Inclusivity is the core goal of the lateral electrification model, and its success is already evident. While conventional AC rural microgrids in Madagascar only connect about 30% of the population, and Solar-Home-Systems reach less than 20%, Nanoé's solar nanogrids cover over 70% of the population in many rural villages in northern Madagascar due to their affordability and better suitability for local needs. Over 400 rural households (2,000 people) in the Diana region are directly affected by the pilot deployment, with hundreds of thousands more expected to benefit in the next five years. Extending and documenting this inclusivity is one of our key objectives during the PowerPath project.
Additional benefits from scaling up the interconnection module include the development of small local businesses in the targeted villages, such as grocery stores, rice hullers, mills, video kiosks, and fisheries. More than 10 small businesses will be directly impacted by the pilot deployment, with thousands more benefiting in the long term.
Beyond providing energy access, the project's capacity-building and investment actions will form a strong network of energy entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs will be capable of managing, operating, and accelerating the energy transition and sustainable development in their country. More than 10 entrepreneurs will directly benefit from the pilot demonstration, with thousands more benefiting in the long term. This network will help develop a robust, sustainable energy supply chain, addressing Sustainable Development Goals 7, 9, and 13.