Pandemic-resilient communities powered by DRE

This report by the Alliance for Renewable Electrification (ARE) presents a portfolio of case studies demonstrating how decentralised renewable energy (DRE) solutions—including solar PV, nano-grids, and hydropower—enhanced community resilience and essential service delivery during and after the COVID-19 pandemic across various emerging economies.

• DRE solutions significantly improved the capacity of healthcare facilities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing stable power for vaccine storage and medical equipment. In Cameroon, increased electric capacity enabled vaccines to be stored and supported machines for patients in respiratory distress, while in Nicaragua, stable energy was essential for treating COVID-19 patients.
• Decentralised energy systems supported educational continuity during pandemic lockdowns by enabling remote learning and keeping students and teachers connected. In Peru, electricity provided by the Luz en Casa project allowed classes to be delivered online, and in Indonesia, a vortex hydropower system enabled a school and its community to continue classes during lockdown.
• DRE projects have contributed to climate change mitigation by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and avoiding significant CO2 emissions. Specific examples include the avoidance of 50 tonnes of CO2 per year in Peru, 1,000 tonnes per year in Iraq, 4,269 tonnes in Cameroon, 381 tonnes in Nicaragua, and 300 tonnes per year in Tanzania.
• The implementation of DRE solutions has fostered economic resilience and job creation in rural areas. In Vanuatu, a nano-grid approach is expected to create 250 new jobs in sectors such as fishing, poultry farming, and tourism, generating USD 2.68 million in annual income. Other projects created direct maintenance jobs in Peru, Iraq, Nicaragua, Indonesia, and Tanzania.
• DRE systems have increased the resilience of isolated communities to natural disasters. In Nicaragua, a mini-grid endured two Category 5 hurricanes without interruptions, ensuring electricity access despite harsh meteorological conditions.
• Innovative financing and operational models, such as pay-as-you-go (PAYG) and prepaid packages, have improved the affordability and scalability of DRE. In Cameroon, a service-based pay-as-you-go model reduced upfront costs for customers, while in Vanuatu, households use prepaid electricity packages activated via smart meters.

APA

Alliance for Renewable Electrification (2022). Pandemic-resilient communities powered by DRE. https://www.renewelec.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Pandemic-resilient-communities-powered-by-DRE.pdf

Chicago

Alliance for Renewable Electrification. Pandemic-resilient communities powered by DRE. 2022. https://www.renewelec.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Pandemic-resilient-communities-powered-by-DRE.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Alliance for Renewable Electrification |title=Pandemic-resilient communities powered by DRE |date=October 2022 |url=https://www.renewelec.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Pandemic-resilient-communities-powered-by-DRE.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{allianceforrenewableelectrification2022pandemicresilient, author = {{Alliance for Renewable Electrification}}, title = {{Pandemic-resilient communities powered by DRE}}, institution = {Alliance for Renewable Electrification}, year = {2022}, month = oct, url = {https://www.renewelec.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Pandemic-resilient-communities-powered-by-DRE.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }