Rural Electrification

The backlog of people living without access to electricity is still significant in many developing countries around the globe. Grid-tied and off-grid solutions, with a myriad of technology options associated with each of these, provide an opportunity for these countries to close the gap. It provides a capability to leapfrog the development of electricity infrastructure via innovative solutions to enable electricity access to the majority of the population. Many of the countries also have abundant energy resources available to them, such as solar, hydro and wind, however invariably the cost of creating the associated assets, and operating and maintaining them in the remote rural communities, remains a challenge.
Optimal technical solutions, accompanied by stable political, regulatory and market platforms, provide the essential mix to facilitate the rollout of rural electrification programs across the globe. The integration of growing shares of renewable energy sources will also contribute to the overall reduction of carbon emissions, whilst expanding the rural electrification footprint in the world.