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This report outlines a framework for integrating distributed renewable energy (DRE) into India's rural electricity systems to improve reliability and affordability. It advocates for a shift from fragmented, scheme-driven deployments to a coordinated approach centered on 'Village Energy Plans' that align system design with local demand patterns and institutional coordination.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Idam Infrastructure Advisory Pvt. Ltd. proposes a system-level framework for planning and implementing distributed renewable energy (DRE) in rural India. Moving beyond fragmented, scheme-driven installations, the study advocates for a 'Model DRE Village' approach that integrates load typology analysis, utility-led planning, and coordinated financing to improve rural electricity reliability and support India's 500 GW non-fossil capacity target by 2030.

Burhani Solar installed a 64 kWp solar PV and 92 kWh battery energy storage system for an educational institution in Mombasa, Kenya, to improve power reliability and reduce operational electricity costs.

This report evaluates the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme in India, specifically focusing on Component A (decentralized solar plants) and Component C-FLS (feeder-level solarization). While the scheme aims to add 35 GW of solar capacity by March 2026 to improve irrigation and farmer income, it has faced low uptake, achieving only 7% of targets for Component A and 34% for Component C-FLS as of December 31, 2025. The report identifies critical barriers including poor institutional coordination, grid instability, land acquisition challenges, and tariff mismatches, while providing actionable recommendations for the design of future solar irrigation programs.

This report by the Power Foundation of India (PFI) and the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) evaluates the potential of Agriphotovoltaics (Agri-PV)—the co-location of solar power and agriculture—to address land-use conflicts and enhance rural incomes in India. It provides economic modelling for Feed-in Tariffs, identifies regulatory barriers, and offers a comprehensive set of policy recommendations to scale the technology.

This position paper by the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) and Schneider Electric advocates for gender equality in the renewable energy (RE) sector to accelerate universal energy access by 2030. It argues that women are essential agents of change who reinvest a higher portion of their income into community services than men. The document provides specific recommendations for RE companies, funding partners, and investors to implement gender-sensitive approaches, alongside case studies from India and the Sahel region demonstrating the socio-economic impact of empowering women entrepreneurs and leaders in the energy transition.

This case study, produced for the U.S. – India Catalytic Solar Finance Program (USICSF), analyzes barriers to scaling rooftop solar in India's Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector. It proposes a Credit Guarantee Mechanism (CGM) to mitigate risks of payment delay and default, thereby unlocking debt financing for Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCOs) serving low-rated or unrated MSMEs.

This case study by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) proposes a 'Transitional Foreign Exchange (FX) Debt Platform' to enable foreign currency debt for the rooftop solar sector in India. It addresses the barriers that prevent small-scale project developers from accessing foreign capital, primarily the risks associated with currency fluctuations and the inability of these developers to access commercial hedging instruments due to poor credit profiles.

This case study describes Nuru, a green mini-grid energy infrastructure developer in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) funded by Team Europe and Gaia Impact. The project provides solar-hybrid distributed renewable energy (DRE) to households, SMEs, and critical services, reducing reliance on diesel generators.

The document presents a series of case studies on distributed renewable energy (DRE) infrastructure projects across Africa, primarily funded by Team Europe. These initiatives utilize solar mini-grids and solar home systems (SHS) to provide electricity to off-grid rural communities in Madagascar, Uganda, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, and Sierra Leone, focusing on socio-economic development, gender empowerment, and climate mitigation.

The Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) has published the Circularity Guidelines on end-of-life battery management to establish minimum standards for renewable energy companies operating in low- and middle-income countries. The guidelines aim to prevent the public health and environmental risks associated with substandard recycling, particularly for lead-acid batteries, by promoting durability, repair, take-back schemes, and certified recycling practices.

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.