About Voices Off-Grid

In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 500 million people (over 50% of the population) live without access to conventional grid electricity. These off-grid communities are not always far from the electricity supply, but for various reasons, they remain without access. Studies show that the number of people without access to electricity remains highest on the continent of Africa, specifically within Sub-Saharan Africa.  While the global community plans and implements measures towards a just energy transition from fossil fuels to a renewable future, vast parts of Africa must start by providing access to those without power. 

Off-grid energy systems (such as mini-grids, standalone solar, wind or hydropower systems) are poised to make a significant contribution to the short-to-medium-term electricity access. But off-grid options present their own challenges, key among them being, quality and durability, pricing, safety and e-waste management. Though the positive impacts of off-grid are well documented wherever these options are introduced, policy and regulatory challenges abound, leading to scalability and sustainability challenges. The velocity, volume, value, variety and veracity challenges are widespread in the off-grid space, leading to all sorts of long-term implications.

Voices Off-grid is the space where we present the issues, innovations, models, successes and setbacks encountered by a variety of stakeholders in the off-grid space. We deal with energy access, efficiency and transitions as they affect off-grid stakeholders in sub-Saharan Africa.

We keep you abreast with in-depth information on the sector and the nexus issues related to energy access through research, and media (photography, videos, podcasts and blogs) pieces across the sub-Saharan African Region.