RAPPORT SUR L'ÉTAT DU MARCHÉ MONDIAL DES MINI-RÉSEAUX EN 2020

The report identifies solar hybrid mini-grids as the fastest-growing segment of the decentralized energy market, noting that they could serve approximately 111 million households in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and small island states by 2030. While technical costs are decreasing due to solar and battery advancements, the market faces significant hurdles including limited consumer paying capacity, ambiguous rural electrification policies, and a heavy reliance on public grants over commercial financing. The document advocates for results-based financing (RBF), flexible tariff regulations, and clear legal protections for mini-grid assets against the arrival of the main grid to attract private investment.

• As of March 2020, there were 5,544 operational mini-grids across sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, small island states, and parts of Latin America. Of these, 63% were solar or hybrid systems, 21% were hydroelectric, and 11% relied on diesel or heavy fuel oil.
• Mini-grids have the potential to provide electricity to approximately 111 million households in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and small island states by 2030. Achieving this would require a capital investment of 128 billion USD, which is 78% higher than the baseline scenario.
• Solar hybrid mini-grids are the fastest-growing sector. In 2019, 66% of battery-equipped mini-grids used lead-acid batteries due to lower initial costs and availability, while 32% used lithium-ion batteries, though the latter's usage is increasing as costs drop.
• The economic viability of rural mini-grids is challenged by low consumer demand and limited ability to pay. To improve the average revenue per user (ARPU), developers are targeting professional clients (small businesses, industrial users, and telecom companies) and implementing models like 'KeyMaker' to process local raw materials for urban sale.
• Financing is heavily dependent on public grants from governments, development finance institutions (DFIs), and foundations. While 14 funders approved 2.07 billion USD in funding by March 2020, only 13% of those funds had been disbursed, indicating significant delays in project advancement.
• Regulatory gaps, such as the lack of protection for mini-grid assets when the main grid arrives, hinder investment. Nigeria is cited as a positive example for providing compensation or operational options for developers in such cases, whereas other countries lack such protections.
• Results-Based Financing (RBF), where payments are made only after functional electrical connections are proven, is identified as a critical mechanism for providing public sector control and certainty.

APA

Sustainable Energy for All (2020). RAPPORT SUR L'ÉTAT DU MARCHÉ MONDIAL DES MINI-RÉSEAUX EN 2020. https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2021-02/MGP-2020_ES_FR-SEforALL.pdf

Chicago

Sustainable Energy for All. RAPPORT SUR L'ÉTAT DU MARCHÉ MONDIAL DES MINI-RÉSEAUX EN 2020. 2020. https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2021-02/MGP-2020_ES_FR-SEforALL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Sustainable Energy for All |title=RAPPORT SUR L'ÉTAT DU MARCHÉ MONDIAL DES MINI-RÉSEAUX EN 2020 |date=2020 |url=https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2021-02/MGP-2020_ES_FR-SEforALL.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sustainableenergyforall2020rapport, author = {{Sustainable Energy for All}}, title = {{RAPPORT SUR L'ÉTAT DU MARCHÉ MONDIAL DES MINI-RÉSEAUX EN 2020}}, institution = {Sustainable Energy for All}, year = {2020}, url = {https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2021-02/MGP-2020_ES_FR-SEforALL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }