Integrated Energy Plan

The report evaluates Malawi's vaccine supply chain, finding that while most health facilities have sufficient cold chain equipment (CCE) capacity for routine and COVID-19 vaccines, there are significant gaps in equipment age, PQS compliance, and energy reliability. It estimates a total investment of USD $21.2 million is required to provide standalone solar power to off-grid facilities and hybrid solar-battery systems to grid-tied facilities to ensure cold chain resiliency.

• Malawi's cold chain consists of approximately 2,000 pieces of equipment, with 92% functioning and 76% meeting the WHO's Performance, Quality and Safety (PQS) prequalification. However, 24% of the equipment is non-PQS and is being phased out, and 53% of the equipment is 10 years old or less, which is the industry life expectancy.
• Capacity analysis shows that over 70% of health facilities use less than 10% of their available cold chain space for routine vaccines, indicating sufficient capacity for COVID-19 vaccines. At the district level, most could shift from monthly to quarterly distribution to reduce transport costs, though 28% of districts lack freezer space needed to extend the shelf life of polio vaccines.
• Approximately 83% of health facilities in Malawi are connected to the national grid (ESCOM), leaving 186 facilities (92 health posts and 94 health centers) off-grid. The report estimates a total investment of USD $21.2 million is needed for energy access and resiliency: USD $3.6 million for standalone solar at off-grid sites and USD $17.6 million for solar-battery hybrid retrofits at grid-tied facilities.
• The COVID-19 vaccine rollout has seen about 6 million doses received since March 2021, with 14% of the target population fully vaccinated as of June 2022. Distribution utilizes the routine immunization supply chain, though Pfizer vaccines require specialized Ultra Cold Chain (UCC) storage and outsourced logistics to maintain temperatures between -60°C and -80°C.
• Maintenance of cold chain equipment is a critical gap, complicated by the presence of over 50 different CCE models from various manufacturers, which makes spare parts management difficult. The report recommends prioritizing the replacement of equipment older than 10 years and those relying on gas or propane.

APA

Sustainable Energy for All (n.d.). Integrated Energy Plan. https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2023-04/Malawi%20IEP%20-%20Cold-chain%20Report_FINAL_compressed.pdf

Chicago

Sustainable Energy for All. Integrated Energy Plan. n.d. https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2023-04/Malawi%20IEP%20-%20Cold-chain%20Report_FINAL_compressed.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Sustainable Energy for All |title=Integrated Energy Plan |url=https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2023-04/Malawi%20IEP%20-%20Cold-chain%20Report_FINAL_compressed.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sustainableenergyforallndintegrated, author = {{Sustainable Energy for All}}, title = {{Integrated Energy Plan}}, institution = {Sustainable Energy for All}, url = {https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2023-04/Malawi%20IEP%20-%20Cold-chain%20Report_FINAL_compressed.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }