Webinar: Energy-as-a-Service – Learning from SolarAid’s Light a Village Pilot in Malawi

Although cash sales and PAYGo models have provided Tier 1 electricity access across rural sub-Saharan Africa, they remain unaffordable to, and are not reaching, the poorest and most remote communities. Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) presents an alternative approach by spreading costs over a longer time period and guaranteeing sustained energy access for customers. While EaaS is a well-established business model in developed markets and in commercial and industrial applications, its use as a service delivery model for first-time household electrification is still relatively nascent. This webinar series will present findings from an independent evaluation of EaaS for first-time rural electrification, commissioned by Energy Saving Trust and delivered by Greencroft Economics, and explore how the model can be scaled to reach underserved populations.

Webinar 1: Learning from SolarAid’s Light a Village Pilot in Malawi

The first webinar will introduce the EaaS model and draw on lessons from SolarAid’s Light a Village pilot in Malawi, which delivered universal, first-time electricity access to rural households in an area where 97% of population had no prior electricity access. In this pilot, SolarAid is responsible for installation, maintenance, and customer service, while households and schools pay a nominal daily fee to activate their system. The pilot has been funded through several phases by a range of partners, including through the national Ngwee Ngwee Ngwee Fund. The session will present key findings from the pilot, drawing on operational lessons and customer usage / payment data. It will also delve into insights around affordability, utilisation and sustainability, based on the research report’s analysis of how EaaS can be designed to maximise cost-effectiveness and impact.

Speakers: