The A-B-C-D of rural electrification

A case study on a CDKN-supported pilot project in Uganda that tested the 'A-B-C-D Rural Electrification' model. The project demonstrated the technical and commercial viability of a distributed off-grid power model serving anchor customers, businesses, community facilities, and domestic households.

• The A-B-C-D Rural Electrification model was piloted in Uganda to provide power to four distinct customer segments: Anchor customers (cell phone sites), the Business sector (irrigation), Community Facilities (water pumping), and domestic households (solar lighting).
• For the Anchor segment, the project upgraded the Seeta Tower to a solar, battery, and diesel hybrid system because the site's small size prevented a full-solar solution. This upgrade reduced diesel consumption, CO2 emissions, and theft by more than 90% while meeting the high reliability standards (99.95% to 99.98% availability) required by cell phone towers.
• The project implemented a solar-powered water system in the hamlet of Buwofo to provide both clean drinking water and drip-feed irrigation for high-value tomato crops. To overcome the borehole's limited flow rate and the need for 16-hour daily pumping, engineers added batteries for nighttime operation and a mechanism to restrict the maximum flow rate.
• Domestic solar lighting was provided via a pay-as-you-go model where villagers pay $2 per week without a deposit. After 18 months, users either own the system or can upgrade to more advanced equipment such as radios, televisions, or fridges. This system is described as commercially sustainable and cheaper than using kerosene and candles.
• Financial modelling from the pilot indicates that a distributed off-grid rural power services company is viable in Africa at scale and can provide returns for impact investors if supported by initial development funds. Africa Power Ltd is seeking funding to scale the project to serve 500,000 people and businesses each in Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia over a 5-year period.

APA

Livesey, A. (n.d.). The A-B-C-D of rural electrification. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/story/feature-b-c-d-rural-electrification

Chicago

Livesey, Alastair. The A-B-C-D of rural electrification. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, n.d. https://cdkn.org/story/feature-b-c-d-rural-electrification.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Livesey |first1=Alastair |title=The A-B-C-D of rural electrification |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |url=https://cdkn.org/story/feature-b-c-d-rural-electrification |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{liveseyndabcd, author = {Livesey, Alastair}, title = {{The A-B-C-D of rural electrification}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, url = {https://cdkn.org/story/feature-b-c-d-rural-electrification}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }