Clean Energy Access in Developing Countries

This briefing from the World Resources Institute, part of a series titled 'Keys to Achieving Universal Energy Access', examines policy and regulatory frameworks needed to scale up distributed renewable energy services in developing countries. Based on research and workshops conducted between 2012 and 2013, the document highlights the role of distributed energy in meeting global electricity access goals and provides recommendations for engaging enterprises in policy-making and reforming the financial sector to unlock capital.

• The International Energy Agency projects that achieving universal electricity access by 2030 will require distributed energy solutions for over 50 percent of new connections, with more than 90 percent of those utilizing renewable energy sources. This is critical because extending traditional electrical grids is often not cost-effective in low-income rural areas, where 1.3 billion people currently lack electricity.
• To accelerate clean energy access, the briefing recommends two primary actions: establishing platforms that allow energy enterprises and stakeholders to influence energy policy and regulatory decisions, and implementing targeted policy and regulatory reforms within the financial sector to facilitate the release of domestic capital.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Clean Energy Access in Developing Countries. https://www.wri.org/research/clean-energy-access-developing-countries

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Clean Energy Access in Developing Countries. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/clean-energy-access-developing-countries.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Clean Energy Access in Developing Countries |url=https://www.wri.org/research/clean-energy-access-developing-countries |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendclean, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Clean Energy Access in Developing Countries}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/clean-energy-access-developing-countries}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }