Powering Africa Sustainably with Solar Mini-Grids [Episode 17]

Global Goals Project

Key Links

• Green Mini Grid Facility Website

In Kenya, more than 1.3 million households are outside the national power grid. In this episode, hear Nakul Sharma talk about funding mini-grid development and the long term plan to shift Africa to sustainable power.

• 10:00 Why is a Power Grid Important? | Find out what life is like off the power grid, and what it takes to get power to people who live on less than $4 per day.
• 14:30 African Resources | Africa is world’s largest geothermal resource, so why is expensive diesel fuel so popular?
• 20:00 The Mini Grid Solar Business Model | See how GMG Facility addresses the biggest problem in their market: demand for power.
• 27:00 Maslow's Hierarchy | Kenyans priorities food first, then education. But when they can save 25% of their daily income, priorities shift.
• 36:00 A Business Model that Puts Itself Out of Business | With enough mini-grids, the governments and industry in Kenya will see rural areas as viable to connect to the grid. How will GMG Facilities stay in business?
• 40:00 Global Goal #7: Clean Energy for All | Nakul asserts that though access to sustainable power is clearly in the future, it will take time.

GMG Facilities has found strategic ways to provide financing, infrastructure, and sustainable options to solve a critical problem in emerging African markets. See just how possible it is to switch a continent to sustainable power in this episode.