Microgrids bring solar to rural Bangladesh
October 10, 2017
Project goal: Discouraging rural flight by creating local electricity networks, boosting economic development in remote villages
Project implementation: Connecting homes with solar panels to local energy grids, allowing for operation of larger household devices such as refrigerators; allow locals to earn income directly from solar power. Solshare aims to connect 160,000 homes and businesses by 2021
Project financing: 600,000 euros or around $700,000 (300,000 euros capital; 125,000 euros credit; 175,000 euros from Asian Development Bank, GSMA, Infrastructure Development Company Limited, World Bank and GIZ)
Around 17 million households in Bangladesh don't have access to the electricity grid. Particularly in rural areas, millions rely on solar panels to generate their own energy. But not everyone can afford such a system. The social enterprise Solshare wants to change this by enabling individuals to share electricity with their neighbors through micro-grids - and earn money in the process.
A film by Marion Hütter