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The report argues for a shift from fragmented, scheme-driven DRE deployment to a coordinated approach using Village Energy Plans in rural India. It emphasizes that DRE design must be driven by local electricity-use patterns and supported by strong institutional coordination to ensure economic viability and long-term durability.

The report evaluates Uganda's path toward middle-income status by 2040, analyzing scenarios across demographics, health, education, infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, trade, and governance. It finds that while the 'Current Path' falls short of Vision 2040 targets, a combined implementation of strategic interventions could lift 11.03 million more people out of poverty and raise GDP per capita to US$6,925 by 2040, reaching the US$9,500 target by 2045. Key drivers for growth include large-scale infrastructure and leapfrogging, which is identified as having the greatest impact on GDP per capita and poverty reduction. However, these gains are accompanied by a projected 30% increase in carbon emissions above the Current Path, primarily driven by manufacturing and governance improvements.

The report identifies structural constraints in Tanzania, such as extreme informality and infrastructure gaps, and proposes a 'Combined scenario' of coordinated reforms. This integrated pathway could increase GDP by US$80.4 billion and reduce poverty from 71% to 24% by 2043. Key recommendations include deepening AfCFTA integration, modernising agriculture, diversifying energy sources, and mainstreaming climate adaptation.

GadgetroniX installed a solar-powered submersible water pumping system in Morogoro, Tanzania, to provide a sustainable water supply of approximately 5,000 litres per day. The system utilizes a 3.6 kWp solar generator and a Lorentz pump to eliminate reliance on grid electricity or fuel, reducing water collection time and operational costs for the local community.

The PURE Rural Mozambique Climate Project seeks EUR 37.415 million from the Green Climate Fund to implement 30–40 solar-powered mini-grids and 300–400 climate-smart PURE solutions. The project focuses on strengthening the institutional capacity of Mozambique's National Energy Fund (FUNAE), developing a pipeline of investment-ready projects, and using Results-Based Financing (RBF) to catalyze private sector investment. It targets 66,200 direct and 158,800 indirect beneficiaries, aiming to reduce GHG emissions by 399,131.26 tCO2eq over 25 years while improving rural livelihoods against climate hazards like droughts and cyclones.

The report assesses the intersection of gender inequality and climate vulnerability in rural Mozambique to inform the design of the PURE Rural Mozambique Climate Project. It identifies systemic barriers—including patriarchal social norms, low female literacy (49% nationwide), and limited access to land and credit—that hinder women's participation in the energy sector and their ability to adopt productive technologies. The project aims to deploy 30-40 solar mini-grids and use Results-Based Financing (RBF) to incentivise the uptake of climate-smart equipment. Key strategies include targeting 'time-saving' appliances to reduce women's labour burden, implementing SEAH (Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment) safeguards, and linking 5-10% of RBF milestone payments to GESI-specific results, such as the percentage of female mini-grid customers.

Renewvia deployed a 75-connection Okra mesh-grid in Emakalakala, Nigeria, in 2024 to address system-wide blackouts and high costs associated with its existing mini-grids. The mesh-grid pilot achieved 99.1% uptime, reduced capex per connection by approximately 50%, and shortened the payback period by 3 years. These results led Renewvia to shift its strategy toward a pipeline of over 21,000 mesh-grid connections over the next 18 months and the launch of an appliance financing pilot.

The case study argues that productive use of renewable electricity (PURE) requires more than infrastructure, necessitating trust, capacity development, and appropriate financing. In Guatemala, technical assistance and financing for agricultural and commercial equipment helped young women increase revenue by over 30%. In Zambia, a solar-powered agro-processing hub utilizing zero-cost lease agreements for milling entrepreneurs showed a 38% margin based on energy cost savings compared to diesel. These findings suggest that risk-sharing and technical support are essential for scaling productive loads, insights which are being applied to future initiatives in Haiti.

The report examines a pilot project in Uttar Pradesh, India, where solar irrigation pumps (SIPs) were used to power grain mills. The study found that this 'secondary use' of solar power reduced milling costs and travel time for rural communities and empowered women and elders. However, the pilot faced operational challenges including poor siting and limited operator availability. The authors argue that integrating secondary uses into government policy and pairing them with battery storage and female operators could maximize the economic returns of solar assets.

The report evaluates a pilot project by Oorja Development Solutions that integrated solar milling services with existing solar irrigation infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh. Findings indicate that while solar mills reduce costs and travel distances for households, sustained adoption is hindered by operational issues such as operator unavailability and inconsistent grinding quality. The study highlights positive shifts in women's mobility and autonomy due to the proximity of the mills, as well as dietary improvements from more frequent, small-batch processing. It recommends that Indian policy frameworks, specifically PM-KUSUM, be expanded to incentivize multi-use solar systems and gender-inclusive designs.

The evaluation of solar-powered community mills in Uttar Pradesh shows that utilizing idle solar irrigation capacity for milling reduces costs and travel distances for smallholders while improving food freshness. While the project yielded modest gains in women's autonomy and mobility, sustained adoption was hindered by operational challenges such as operator unavailability and infrastructure issues. The document recommends integrating secondary-use models into India's PM-KUSUM scheme to optimize solar asset utilization.

The Nepal Energy Foundation piloted a distribution grid automation project in the Tallo Nallu load centre of Lalitpur District to address reliability issues caused by radial feeder configurations and manual fault detection. The project integrated smart energy meters with a GIS-based monitoring platform using OpenDSS and Python, achieving a visualisation error of 2.47%. Key technical achievements include a fault localisation algorithm based on voltage sag measurements and the installation of an automatic voltage regulator (AVR), which reduced voltage regulation fluctuations from over 15% to below 2% and increased minimum consumer endpoint voltage from 0.65 pu to above 0.94 pu.

The document describes the 'Zones d’Activités Électrifiées' (ZAE) initiative in Mali, which replaces polluting gasoline generators with reliable electricity to support local entrepreneurs. It highlights the installation of 8 ZAEs in rural areas, with 5 more in development, and provides specific economic data from the Moro Moro zone, including the creation of 34 jobs and access to services for approximately 7,300 people. The text also details a success story of a bakery in Koury and mentions the expansion of similar low-carbon development programs to Benin.

Solaris is a Nigerian clean energy startup founded in 2021 that provides solar booths, energy bulbs, and micro-energy kits to rural and urban communities. The company employs a 'energy as a service' model and a lease-to-own system for youth entrepreneurs. Despite facing gender bias, funding hurdles, and bureaucratic delays in importing components, Solaris has deployed over ten solar solutions and sold more than 3,000 Pico kits. The company focuses on youth capacity building, having trained over 50 individuals in solar system design and maintenance, and plans to establish a green technology hub incorporating waste management.

RMI analysis indicates that repealing tech-neutral clean electricity tax credits, such as the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and Production Tax Credit (PTC), would significantly raise electricity costs for American farmers and rural electric cooperatives. For a mid-sized dairy farm, annual costs could increase by $10,000 in 2026, while Wisconsin’s Dairyland Power Cooperative could see project costs more than double, increasing annual costs by $137 million. These credits are described as essential for reducing operating costs, diversifying income, and improving grid resilience in rural areas, which already face a 33 percent higher energy burden than the rest of the nation.

JLA Hydro, with Belgian funding, restored a 1960s-era 60 kW hydropower plant in Murhesa, DRC, which had been inactive for 15 years. The project involved civil works, the installation of a custom crossflow turbine, and the creation of a regulated minigrid. The restored power now supports a health centre, schools, and several food production and processing facilities, demonstrating the efficiency of hydropower rehabilitation for rural electrification.

The document introduces a technical guide developed by the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) and ADEME to support the electrification of rural healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa using solar photovoltaic (PV) energy. It is designed as a decision-making tool for technicians, service providers, and policymakers regarding the implementation and sizing of solar systems.

The Alliance for Rural Electrification's 'Renewables for Impact' campaign showcases the role of distributed renewable energy (DRE) in Sub-Saharan Africa through a photo contest and impact stories. The campaign highlights projects supported by Team Europe that contribute to Sustainable Development Goals 7, 8, and 12, focusing on productive use, women's empowerment, industrial power, manufacturing, and green job creation. Specific examples include hydro-powered irrigation in Malawi, solar cooling for herbal farms in Kenya, solar-powered water infrastructure in Mali, mini-grids in Senegal, and mini-grid construction in Benin.

The document outlines a comprehensive approach to electrifying rural health centers in sub-Saharan Africa using solar PV. It emphasizes the necessity of professional technical consultancy to avoid project failure, provides detailed mathematical formulas for dimensioning components (panels, inverters, and batteries), and compares different system architectures (Off-Grid, On-Grid Backup, and On-Grid). The guide also details various financing models, including Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), and stresses the importance of a two-level maintenance strategy and the appointment of an energy manager ('Monsieur/Madame Energie') to ensure long-term system viability.

Project ASTHA, a partnership between PRADAN and Schneider Electric in Sehal Bara Soli, Jharkhand, India, replaced unsustainable diesel pumps with solar-powered pumps and installed solar microgrids. This transition enabled farmers to grow multiple crop cycles annually, increasing family incomes by USD 710 to USD 830 and reducing rural-urban migration rates from 54% to 17%. The initiative also empowered women through the Ghagara Women Farmer Producer Company and improved educational opportunities via reliable electricity.