Does renewable energy work better in developing countries?

Gao Jifan argues that developing regions can bypass traditional grid-based energy development by adopting off-grid renewable energy, specifically solar power, to provide electricity to the 1.4 billion people currently lacking access. He cites the Chinese telecommunications industry's shift from landlines to mobile phones as a precedent for this 'leapfrog development'. In remote areas, solar power is noted to be more cost-effective than diesel or traditional fuels, and the transition to solar lanterns in Africa is credited with saving lives by reducing reliance on kerosene lamps.

• Approximately 1.4 billion people globally lack access to electricity, primarily in India, African countries, Western China, and other remote developing regions where the grid is unreachable.
• Developing regions can employ 'leapfrog development' by bypassing traditional energy processes and using off-grid renewable sources like solar power, which is now often cheaper in remote areas than diesel or other traditional fuels.
• The adoption of solar-powered lanterns in Africa is reducing pollution, lowering costs, and saving lives, noting that around 1.5 million deaths in 2010 were linked to the use of kerosene lamps.

APA

Jifan, G. (2012). Does renewable energy work better in developing countries? World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/does-renewable-energy-work-better-in-developing-countries/

Chicago

Jifan, Gao. Does renewable energy work better in developing countries? World Economic Forum, 2012. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/does-renewable-energy-work-better-in-developing-countries/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Jifan |first1=Gao |title=Does renewable energy work better in developing countries? |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=31 August 2012 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/does-renewable-energy-work-better-in-developing-countries/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{jifan2012does, author = {Jifan, Gao}, title = {{Does renewable energy work better in developing countries?}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2012}, month = aug, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/does-renewable-energy-work-better-in-developing-countries/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }