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The report examines the role of decentralised renewable energy (DRE) in overcoming barriers to agricultural productivity, such as lack of energy access and finance. It presents 15 case studies across Africa, Asia, and South America, showcasing technologies like solar water pumps, cooling systems, and biomass steam engines. Key findings emphasize the need for holistic, customer-centric designs, innovative financing (including grants, equity, and debt), and the integration of capacity building to ensure long-term sustainability and job creation in rural communities.

The Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) provides capacity building through two primary channels: Investment Academies, which help small and medium enterprises secure finance through modules on business planning and pitching, and the CORE Initiative, which offers technical training on DRE systems like mini-grids and solar thermal energy. These programs have trained 3,050 practitioners and 210 trainers across 15 countries, targeting the development of bankable projects and the transfer of engineering skills to enhance energy access and security in Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.

The report argues that integrating DRE infrastructure to power both mines and local communities—termed 'inclusive mining'—can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower operational costs, and catalyse rural socio-economic development. It identifies key barriers such as complex energy regulations, limited local technical skills, and the high upfront capital costs of renewable systems. Through four case studies in Australia, Madagascar, and Mali, the document demonstrates various models for community electrification, including shared microgrids, indirect feeding into local grids, and the repurposing of end-of-life mines. The authors recommend establishing inclusive governance structures, investing in productive use of renewable energy (PURE) to stimulate demand, and embedding a gender lens to ensure equitable benefit sharing.

The document is a template for an Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) designed for clean energy mini-grids, particularly solar hybrid systems. It outlines the purpose of an ESMP as a tool to eliminate or reduce adverse risks during a project's life cycle, from construction to decommissioning. The guide details specific environmental and social risks associated with key components—such as PV panels, battery banks, and fuel generators—and provides corresponding mitigation and monitoring measures. It also includes a matrix of minimum environmental and social parameters (indicators) that proponents should track across different project phases.

The Regulations for Mini-Grids Template establishes a framework for the licensing, operation, and tariff management of mini-grids. It defines three license types based on capacity and connectivity: Simplified (up to 100 kW), Full (up to 5 MW), and Interconnected (up to 5 MW). The template outlines a detailed application process, a tariff calculation methodology balancing viability and affordability, and rules for main-grid interconnection, including compensation mechanisms for Full Licensees. It also includes minimum technical, safety, and environmental standards for simplified systems.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of India's decentralised renewable energy (DRE) landscape, detailing deployment statistics, government schemes, and the role of R&D in driving innovation. It highlights the transition of DRE from basic lighting to productive livelihood applications and identifies 'weak-grid' areas as a significant growth market. The document emphasizes the necessity of harmonized international standards to prevent market spoilage and facilitate global trade. It also showcases the 'transformational journeys' of Indian companies expanding into Sub-Saharan Africa, leveraging digital technologies like Pay-as-you-Go (PayG) and standardized mini-grid models to address energy poverty.

The document outlines predictable trends and critical unknowns for the Southern African region, noting a decline in solar energy costs and increasing climate vulnerability, while questioning the pace of EV adoption, infrastructure availability, and the role of South Africa's auto-manufacturing protections.

The document analyzes the role of renewable energy in the Southern African mining sector, highlighting how energy instability and the high cost of diesel generators drive mining firms toward hybrid and private renewable solutions. While South Africa faces challenges from a reliance on coal and potential 'bridging' fuels like shale gas and nuclear power, the declining cost of solar and wind technologies, supported by the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPPP), offers a viable path to reduce operating costs and increase energy security.

The document lists ten financing programs providing grants, seed funding, and technical assistance for renewable energy technologies. These programs target various stages of business development, from R&D and pilots to scaling and commercial expansion, primarily within African nations and other low-income or developing regions. Funding amounts vary significantly, ranging from small grants of US $15,000 to large-scale transition grants of up to US $15 million.

The Barbados Energy Transition and Investment Plan (ETIP) identifies a net-zero emissions (NZE) target by 2035 as the most feasible pathway for the nation. Achieving this goal requires a total capital investment of BBD 19 billion by 2040, with the transport sector accounting for approximately BBD 17.3 billion of this total. The transition is expected to be driven by the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), onshore wind, solar PV, and blue hydrogen, while utilizing bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in the industry sector to offset residual emissions. The plan projects that NZE 2035 will result in fuel cost savings of BBD 15.6 billion and create approximately 1,500 new jobs above business-as-usual levels by 2035. Key policy recommendations include implementing mandatory building energy codes, establishing a national electric mobility roadmap, and developing a governance structure featuring an Energy Transition Office to coordinate cross-ministerial implementation.

The report evaluates Brazil's 'Energy Safety Nets,' focusing on electricity access and clean cooking. It finds that while Luz para Todos has nearly achieved universal electricity access and Tarifa Social supports basic consumption for the poorest, Bolsa Família is less effective for clean cooking due to non-earmarked funds and rising LPG costs. The study recommends earmarked LPG vouchers, expanded eligibility for electricity subsidies, and a gender-sensitive approach to energy policy.

The document defines Energy Safety Nets (ESNs) as government-led approaches to close the affordability gap for essential energy services, including electricity and clean cooking fuels. It distinguishes between ESNs for physical connections (one-off transfers) and those for ongoing consumption (recurring transfers). The guide outlines various targeting methods—geographic, social, economic, and demographic—and delivery mechanisms such as cash transfers, vouchers, and reduced tariffs. It emphasizes the need for gender-responsive design, robust evaluation, and high-level policy coordination to achieve universal energy access as outlined in Sustainable Development Goal 7.

The Malawi Integrated Energy Plan (IEP) outlines a strategy to move from 12.5% electricity access in 2022 to universal access by 2030 for an estimated 5.5 million households. The plan proposes a mix of grid-based solutions (64% of new growth) and off-grid solutions (26%), with a heavy emphasis on the Central and Southern regions. It identifies significant financing gaps and suggests that adopting international competitive bidding and low-cost rural design standards could reduce grid expansion costs from $3.1 billion (BAU) to $1.8 billion. The report also assesses the electrification of public facilities, including 1,058 health clinics and 7,123 schools, and examines the impact of e-cooking on future energy demand.

The report identifies significant energy gaps in Nigeria's healthcare system, noting that 40% of primary healthcare centres (PHCs) lack electricity. It proposes a phased roadmap to electrify 10,000 functional PHCs by 2030, estimating a total cost of $525 million for CAPEX and OPEX over 15 years. The document analyzes three delivery models—traditional equipment ownership, service-based, and a proposed hybrid model—recommending the hybrid approach for Type 2 PHCs to balance private sector efficiency with public sector constraints. Key recommendations include the creation of a centralized dynamic database for health facility energy status and the use of blended financing to mitigate risks for private energy service companies.

The Sierra Leone Energy Transition and Green Growth Plan outlines a pathway to 100% electrification and clean cooking by 2040. The plan emphasizes a shift from biomass and oil toward hydropower and solar PV, requiring an estimated USD 6.5 billion in capital investment by 2040 and a cumulative USD 15 billion by 2050. Key targets include deploying 745 MW of large hydropower and 932 MW of solar PV by 2040, while integrating electric mobility and green hydrogen by 2050. The transition is expected to double energy-sector jobs to 29,117 by 2050 and support national goals such as the Feed Salone strategy and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The report identifies significant cooling access gaps in Ghana, with 12.9 million people at high risk due to poverty and lack of electricity. It argues for a transition to sustainable cooling by integrating passive design, higher energy efficiency standards, and the phase-out of HFC refrigerants. Key focus areas include developing cold chains for agriculture and healthcare to reduce food loss and improve vaccine distribution, while addressing the urban heat island effect in cities like Accra and Kumasi.

The Mini-Grid Emissions Tool, developed by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), addresses the lack of standardized carbon tracking in the mini-grid sector. Unlike previous methods that rely on a single default emissions factor and total energy generated, this tool calculates emissions avoided based on actual energy consumed and the diverse range of previous energy sources used by customers. It incorporates specific data for different household energy access tiers, kerosene lamp types, and fossil fuel generator efficiencies to provide a more accurate estimate of climatic benefits.

The report identifies significant energy efficiency opportunities in Thailand's dairy cold chain, particularly in pasteurised milk processing, where best practices could save up to 30% of energy. It highlights that refrigerated transport consumes over 19 million litres of diesel annually and suggests transitioning to electric trucks and optimising load weights. Additionally, ice-making for non-refrigerated distribution presents a 37% energy saving potential. While some facilities have adopted solar PV, the report notes that cold chain data remains fragmented, hindering systematic planning and monitoring.

The report assesses the energy access gap in Sierra Leone's healthcare system, finding that approximately 38% of facilities lack electricity and many others suffer from unreliable power. It identifies a market opportunity to provide reliable energy solutions to 1,134 primary healthcare units (PHUs), estimating a total investment need of $64 million ($53m CapEx and $11m OpEx). The document proposes a three-phase roadmap from 2023 to 2029, moving from structuring and feasibility to large-scale deployment, while recommending a shift from traditional donor-led equipment ownership to hybrid and service-based delivery models to ensure long-term operation and maintenance (O&M).

The report finds that global finance for energy access is insufficient, with electricity commitments reaching only half of the required USD 52 billion annually and clean cooking funding declining to USD 30 million. While electricity finance increased to USD 30.2 billion in 20 high-impact countries, it is heavily concentrated in Asia, particularly India, while Sub-Saharan Africa sees declining investments and a shift toward fossil fuels. Clean cooking remains severely underfunded, relying heavily on international grants. Case studies highlight India's success in mobilizing private finance for renewables and Indonesia's use of government subsidies to scale LPG adoption.