Taking the Pulse Madagascar Case Study

This case study analyzes the energy access landscape in Madagascar, focusing on the financing and infrastructure requirements to achieve universal electricity and clean cooking access by 2030. It contrasts a 'business as usual' (BAU) scenario, where grid access declines due to population growth, with a forecast scenario requiring significant investment in stand-alone solar, mini-grids, and improved cookstoves (ICS). The report highlights profound affordability challenges for rural households and the need for quality standards and regulatory consistency to attract private investment.

• Madagascar faces a critical electricity access gap; as of end-2018, grid access was 11.4%, and stand-alone solar provided access to 9.4% of households. In a business as usual (BAU) scenario, grid coverage is projected to decline to 9% by 2030 because the pace of expansion cannot keep up with population growth.
• To achieve universal electricity access by 2030, stand-alone solar is expected to be the primary driver, delivering access to 84.8% of households. This would require 7.4 million new connections and cumulative financing of USD 1.8 billion, including USD 662 million specifically to address affordability constraints for low-income households.
• The mini-grid sector currently serves approximately 24,000 households (less than 1% of the population). In the forecast scenario, 530 new mini-grids would be built to reach 131,000 households by 2030, requiring cumulative financing of USD 92 million.
• Madagascar has the largest clean cooking deficit in Africa, with less than 1% of households using clean fuels and only a fraction of a percent using improved cookstoves (ICS). By 2030, it is expected that 95% of households (over 9 million) will still rely on wood and charcoal as a primary or secondary source.
• Achieving a target where 90% of households can afford a basic improved cookstove requires USD 148 million for enterprises and USD 217 million for affordability gap financing.
• The state-owned utility JIRAMA, which operates the majority of the grid infrastructure in Antananarivo, Toamasina, and Fianarantsoa, is insolvent due to operational difficulties and financial shortfalls, which has hindered grid expansion.
• The stand-alone solar market is hindered by a lack of quality-verified products; most items are sold through informal channels and lack standards. The government is attempting to address this by adopting Lighting Global standards and tying VAT and import duty exemptions to these standards.
• Clean fuel markets for cooking are underdeveloped. The LPG market relies entirely on imports as the country lacks oil refineries. The biogas market is limited by high upfront costs (USD 500-800) relative to the average annual GDP per capita of approximately USD 450.

APA

Sustainable Energy for All (n.d.). Taking the Pulse Madagascar Case Study. https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2019-12/Taking-Pulse-Madagascar_0.pdf

Chicago

Sustainable Energy for All. Taking the Pulse Madagascar Case Study. n.d. https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2019-12/Taking-Pulse-Madagascar_0.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Sustainable Energy for All |title=Taking the Pulse Madagascar Case Study |url=https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2019-12/Taking-Pulse-Madagascar_0.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sustainableenergyforallndtaking, author = {{Sustainable Energy for All}}, title = {{Taking the Pulse Madagascar Case Study}}, institution = {Sustainable Energy for All}, url = {https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2019-12/Taking-Pulse-Madagascar_0.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }