<\/p>\n
The World Bank Group Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme and the global off-grid solar association GOGLA released the findings at the Global Off-Grid Solar Forum and Expo in Kigali, Rwanda.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Users of solar home systems, lanterns, water pumps, generators and other off-grid products increased from 118 million in 2023.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Off-Grid Solar Market Trends Report 2026 found that off-grid solar remained the lowest-cost electricity solution for at least 398 million people.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Previously considered a temporary bridge until electricity grids reached communities, off-grid solar was increasingly functioning as economic infrastructure for homes, farms, schools, healthcare facilities and small businesses. \u201cOff-grid solar has proven it can deliver at scale, through shocks and in places the grid has not reached,\u201d GOGLA Executive Director Sarah Malm said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cIt now irrigates farms, keeps clinics open and powers the businesses that hold rural economies together.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The technology has also demonstrated durability, with 95% of surveyed customers reporting that solar home systems remained functional at least four years after purchase.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
About 7.4 million people use off-grid solar for microenterprises or income-generating activities in agriculture, retail and services.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Products have generated an estimated $28 billion in additional income and savings for customers over 15 years.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The surveyed off-grid solar market employs 219 000 people, representing a 29% increase over two years. Most are agents and technicians working within the communities served.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
However, affordability remains a major barrier. Only one-third of households without electricity can afford an entry-level system through pay-as-you-go financing, while another third could afford one only with financial difficulty.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Connecting hundreds of millions of people by 2030 will require approximately $11.4 billion in investment, including $1.3 billion annually in grants and affordability subsidies and $1.6 billion annually in equity, debt and receivables financing.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Distributed renewable energy is expected to support Mission 300, which aims to connect 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa to electricity by 2030.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The World Bank Group committed $974 million to off-grid solar during the 2025 and 2026 financial years.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Report recommended value-added tax exemptions, import-duty waivers and targeted subsidies to reduce costs and expand access.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–WorldBank\/ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":41080,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"news-type":[26],"class_list":["post-49244","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-general_news","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"The number of people using off-grid solar products has increased by 26% in two years, reaching 149 million as the technology increasingly supports businesses and essential services.","published_date":"","news_description":"The number of people using off-grid solar products has increased by 26% in two years, reaching 149 million as the technology increasingly supports businesses and essential services.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/49244","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/49244\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49246,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/49244\/revisions\/49246"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49244"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=49244"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}