ENERGIZING FINANCE: TAKING THE PULSE 2021

The report estimates that achieving universal Tier 1 electricity and Tier 4 clean cooking access in Ghana, Mozambique, and Vietnam will cost between USD 38 billion and 48 billion by 2030. It identifies a significant finance gap, noting that current commitments are far below the required levels, particularly for clean cooking. The analysis highlights that while standalone solar is a primary pathway for electricity in rural areas, mini-grids are hindered by regulatory uncertainty. The report recommends a combination of results-based financing, demand-side subsidies, and the removal of fiscal barriers like VAT on solar equipment to bridge the affordability gap for low-income households.

• Achieving universal access to Tier 1 electricity and Tier 4 clean cooking across Ghana, Mozambique, and Vietnam is estimated to cost between USD 38 billion and 48 billion by 2030. A more incremental approach focusing on Tier 1 electricity and Tier 2/3 clean cooking would be significantly cheaper, costing approximately USD 2.1 billion.
• Clean cooking represents the most significant financial challenge; achieving universal Tier 4 access alone across the three countries is estimated to cost USD 37-47 billion. Transitioning via LPG is estimated at USD 38 billion, while ethanol is expected to cost a similar amount, with lower infrastructure costs but higher fuel costs.
• There is a severe gap between required private sector finance and current commitments. For Tier 1 electricity and Tier 2/3 cooking, USD 1 billion is needed for enterprises, yet previous tracking identified only USD 32 million for clean cooking in these countries over six years and USD 118 million for mini-grids and SHSs in Mozambique over seven years.
• An affordability gap of approximately USD 1.1 billion exists for Tier 1 electricity and Tier 2/3 cooking. Mozambique accounts for 82 percent of this need, primarily to drive the uptake of standalone solar in poor rural households, where 46 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.
• Mini-grids are projected to make a minimal contribution to universal electricity access under business-as-usual scenarios, serving only about 1 percent of the population in Ghana and 3 percent in Mozambique by 2030. This is attributed to high connection costs and a lack of regulatory clarity regarding licensing, tariffs, and subsidies.
• Gender disparities significantly hinder energy access, as women generally have lower ability to pay and less agency in household purchasing decisions. Women are also largely absent from the energy sector workforce and as owners of energy enterprises, with these disparities being most pronounced in Mozambique's clean cooking sector.

APA

Bhattacharya, K., Chandel, P., Cheval, A., Fanous, M., Freschi, A., Jamal, A.-K., Madan, P., & Tsan, M. (2021). ENERGIZING FINANCE: TAKING THE PULSE 2021. Sustainable Energy for All. https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2021-10/EF-2021-TP-ES-SEforALL.pdf

Chicago

Bhattacharya, Kanishka, Puranjay Chandel, Alexandre Cheval, Monika Fanous, Arianna Freschi, Aly-Khan Jamal, Parth Madan, and Michael Tsan. ENERGIZING FINANCE: TAKING THE PULSE 2021. Sustainable Energy for All, 2021. https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2021-10/EF-2021-TP-ES-SEforALL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bhattacharya |first1=Kanishka |last2=Chandel |first2=Puranjay |last3=Cheval |first3=Alexandre |last4=Fanous |first4=Monika |last5=Freschi |first5=Arianna |last6=Jamal |first6=Aly-Khan |last7=Madan |first7=Parth |last8=Tsan |first8=Michael |title=ENERGIZING FINANCE: TAKING THE PULSE 2021 |publisher=Sustainable Energy for All |date=2021 |url=https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2021-10/EF-2021-TP-ES-SEforALL.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bhattacharya2021energizing, author = {Bhattacharya, Kanishka and Chandel, Puranjay and Cheval, Alexandre and Fanous, Monika and Freschi, Arianna and Jamal, Aly-Khan and Madan, Parth and Tsan, Michael}, title = {{ENERGIZING FINANCE: TAKING THE PULSE 2021}}, institution = {Sustainable Energy for All}, year = {2021}, url = {https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2021-10/EF-2021-TP-ES-SEforALL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }