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Madagascar faces a significant energy access gap, with grid expansion stagnating and clean cooking adoption among the lowest in Africa. To reach SDG7 by 2030, the country requires approximately USD 2.4 billion in total financing for off-grid electricity and improved cooking solutions. While stand-alone solar is the primary driver for electrification, reaching 84.8% of households requires USD 1.8 billion, including USD 662 million to address affordability gaps. Mini-grids are projected to reach 1.4% of households with USD 92 million in financing. In the clean cooking sector, 99% of households lack clean solutions; achieving universal access via industrial improved cookstoves (ICS) requires USD 148 million for enterprises and USD 217 million for affordability gap financing.

The Philippines has achieved nearly 90% household electrification, but reaching universal access by 2030 requires accelerating grid and off-grid technologies. Mini-grids and stand-alone solar are critical for the remotest areas, with a combined financing need of USD 1.25 billion for off-grid solar technologies. The clean cooking sector lacks a formal government policy, with 72% of households lacking full access. Achieving clean cooking targets will require USD 303 million in enterprise financing and USD 220 million in affordability gap financing for improved cookstoves (ICS). Key barriers include bureaucratic registration processes for energy providers, a lack of specific clean cooking targets, and limited local project-based financing for SMEs.

Uganda's energy access landscape is characterized by a 62% electricity access deficit and a high reliance on biomass for cooking (95%). To reach universal access by 2030, the report forecasts a need for USD 2.3 billion for off-grid electricity and improved cooking solutions. This includes USD 1.43 billion for stand-alone solar, USD 51 million for mini-grids, and USD 193 million for industrial cookstove enterprises, alongside significant affordability gap financing for consumers. Key barriers include unclear regulatory frameworks for mini-grids, a lack of quality standards for solar products, and high upfront costs for clean cooking technologies.

The report identifies a total financing need of USD 6.4 billion by 2030 for off-grid electricity and clean cooking solutions across Madagascar, the Philippines, and Uganda. It breaks down these needs into grants, equity, debt, and affordability gap financing, while analyzing the specific roles of mini-grids, stand-alone solar, and improved cookstoves in each national context.

Finance for energy access in 20 high-impact countries remains significantly below the levels required to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030. While electricity finance reached a peak of USD 36 billion in 2017, only one-third benefited residential users. Clean cooking finance saw a dramatic 73% drop in 2017 compared to the 2015-16 average. The report highlights a critical under-investment in Sub-Saharan Africa and a reliance on large-scale grid projects over decentralized solutions. It also examines the specific barriers faced by women and displaced persons and explores innovative financing mechanisms like Result Based Financing and securitization to bridge the investment gap.

The SEI Environmental Strategy for Myanmar (2019-2028) establishes a framework for research, policy engagement, and capacity building across four primary themes: water resources and agriculture, gender and environment, sustainable energy, and climate change and disaster risk. The strategy aims to help Myanmar meet its commitments to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Paris Agreement. Key objectives include enhancing the capacity of river basin organizations, promoting a just transition to low-carbon energy systems, and addressing gender inequalities in natural resource management. SEI intends to implement this through partnerships with state agencies, such as the Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River Systems, and non-state actors, using tools like the Long-Range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) system.

The report identifies that the typical LCOE for well-run minigrids is at least $0.60 per kWh, which is too expensive for widespread use. It proposes six cost-reduction pathways—hardware standardization, demand stimulation, customer engagement, clustered project development, low-cost financing, and regulatory reform—to bring the LCOE down to $0.25 per kWh by 2020. The document also provides an investment roadmap to transition from grant funding to commercial debt.

The report introduces 'undergrid minigrids' as a solution for communities in sub-Saharan Africa that are within distribution company territories but remain underserved due to unreliable or nonexistent power. It outlines a five-step implementation pathway—awareness, business model development, pilot projects, market scaling, and benefit evaluation—to improve economics and reliability for customers, distribution companies, and developers, with a primary focus on Nigeria.

The document highlights that rural electrification often fails when supply is expanded without addressing the barriers to end-use demand, such as high equipment costs and lack of financing. It provides evidence from historical US programs and modern sub-Saharan African minigrids to show that stimulating productive use improves system capacity utilization and financial viability. The authors recommend that development partners implement financing mechanisms, support the private sector in equipment sales, and update national policies to include end-use targets.

The report argues that coal transitions are already underway due to economic shifts, the falling cost of renewables, and environmental concerns, independent of climate policy. Through analysis of China, India, South Africa, Poland, Germany, and Australia, it concludes that phasing out coal is technically feasible and cost-neutral or advantageous for consumers. It emphasizes that a 'just transition' for workers and communities is possible through early stakeholder consultation, tailored workforce programs, and regional economic diversification. The document also warns coal exporters of the risks of stranded assets and the potential for abrupt declines in global demand.

The Green Aggregation Tech Enterprise (GATE) is a proposed guarantee facility designed to mitigate demand and payment risks for mini-grids in Sub-Saharan Africa. By guaranteeing a baseline level of revenue, GATE aims to transform mini-grids into a bankable asset class, shifting their financing from donor grants to private debt. The instrument will be piloted in Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, and the DRC, with a phased implementation pathway moving from a proof-of-concept (2018-2019) to full commercialization by 2028-2030. Financial modelling suggests that at scale, GATE can be sustainable and catalytic, potentially mobilizing US$ 1.725 billion in private investment by 2030 and providing electricity to millions of households and businesses.

The document argues that Nigeria is becoming a global hub for minigrid development and outlines four key recommendations to accelerate market growth: improving finance affordability, providing partial grants and operational subsidies, establishing a finance consortium to spread risk, and coordinating demand stimulation through development programs.

Southern Africa faces an energy crisis characterized by a lack of electricity access and a coal-dominated energy mix. The document argues that overcoming this requires a combination of regional cooperation to manage hydropower resources and the deployment of decentralised solutions like mini-grids for rural areas, while addressing systemic barriers such as poor project preparation and inadequate regulatory frameworks.

The SADC region faces a significant electricity supply-demand gap, with 68% of residents lacking access and a heavy reliance on coal, primarily driven by South Africa. The report argues for a dual approach: strengthening the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) through better regional regulation and transboundary projects, and scaling up renewable energy mini-grids in rural areas. It highlights that while the region has vast solar, wind, and hydro potential, investment is hindered by poor policy frameworks and the financial insolvency of national utilities.

The report finds that while electricity access finance in 20 high-impact countries increased by 56% to USD 30.2 billion per year in 2015-16, it remains far below the estimated USD 52 billion needed annually. Investment is heavily skewed toward non-residential consumers and grid-connected technologies, including a significant increase in coal-fired power. Sub-Saharan Africa is falling further behind, receiving only 17% of total electricity finance. Clean cooking finance is described as 'abysmally low', dropping 5% to USD 30 million in 2015-16, representing a tiny fraction of the USD 4.4 billion annual need. The report highlights India as a 'bright spot' due to strong domestic private investment in renewables and Indonesia for its use of government subsidies to accelerate LPG adoption.

Nigeria faces a severe energy crisis with 60-70% of its population lacking regular electricity access and an average output of 5,000 MW against an installed capacity of 12,522 MW. The report identifies critical bottlenecks including a non-cost-reflective tariff regime, a N1 trillion revenue shortfall as of December 2016, and significant gas flaring despite the country ranking 9th globally in natural gas reserves. While hydropower provided approximately 32% of supply in 2015, other renewables like solar and wind remain underdeveloped. The author recommends the total deregulation of the gas sector, universal metering to close a gap of 4.09 million customers, and the implementation of the renewable energy masterplan to achieve a 10% renewable energy contribution by 2025.

The report examines the Nigerian minigrid sector, highlighting a potential annual revenue opportunity of ₦2.8 trillion (US$8 billion). Based on audits of ten commercial projects, it identifies best practices such as optimal site selection, community engagement, and appliance financing. While the regulatory environment is generally supportive, the report identifies barriers including high hardware costs, limited affordable finance, and inconsistent customs processes, proposing a series of stakeholder-specific actions to accelerate market growth.

The report finds that while electricity access finance in 20 high-impact countries increased to USD 30.2 billion per year in 2015-16, it remains far below the USD 52 billion needed annually for universal access by 2030. Investment is heavily skewed toward non-residential consumers and grid-connected technologies, including a doubling of fossil fuel investments to USD 8 billion. Clean cooking finance has decreased to USD 30 million per year, a fraction of the USD 4.4 billion required. Geographically, finance is concentrated in a few countries, with Sub-Saharan Africa falling further behind despite having the highest need.

The RISE 2018 report tracks sustainable energy policies across 133 countries, finding that the number of nations with advanced frameworks tripled between 2010 and 2017. While progress is evident, the global average score of 58/100 suggests the world is only halfway to advanced policy adoption, potentially jeopardizing SDG7 and Paris Agreement goals. The report highlights a strong focus on electricity over heating and transport, a decline in utility creditworthiness in access-deficit countries, and a gap between 'on paper' regulations and actual enforcement.

The report examines the intersection of global energy trends and gender equality, arguing that universal energy access by 2030 requires moving beyond 'business-as-usual' to address systemic discrimination. It identifies decentralization, affordability, and mobile payments as potential catalysts for inclusion, while urbanization and humanitarian crises present significant hurdles. Through case studies in five countries, the document highlights how barriers such as lack of land tenure, digital gender gaps, and inadequate financial services prevent women from leveraging these trends to improve their livelihoods and health.