Publications
This is a big book. It is packed with actionable information for decision-makers, and it is the World Bank’s most comprehensive and authoritative publication on mini grids to date. We intend this book as a reference guide to be consulted when important decisions about mini grids need to be made at the project, portfolio, or national program level. To that end, we have balanced cohesiveness among the chapters with each chapter’s ability to stand on its own as a resource.
The book is structured as follows. The overview presents a global market outlook for mini grids and introduces the 10 building blocks that need to be in place if mini grids are to be scaled up in any country. These building blocks also represent the 10 frontiers for innovation for the sector, where, with disruptive digital solutions across all 10 frontiers, the services offered to end users can be raised to a level substantially better than what would be possible with alternatives.
In the Handbook, the terms “building blocks” and “frontiers” are used interchangeably. Chapters 1–10 present the 10 building blocks in detail and answer the question how do we scale up mini grid deployment to connect half a billion people by 2030? Chapter 11 is our call to action.
This book is part of a comprehensive knowledge package that the World Bank has prepared on mini grids, which consists of the following elements:
- An executive summary, published separately in June 2019.
- A volume of case studies on the history of mini grids in electric power systems, as well as mini grid regulations and subsidies in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India (Uttar Pradesh), Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
- Animations, infographics, and videos to present high-level findings to a wide audience.
- Briefs in the Live Wire series that can serve as quick reference guides for World Bank operations teams and other project implementation partners.
- A roster of experts to provide rapid-response support for project implementation.
The objective of this comprehensive knowledge package is to present road-tested options and examples from the leading edge of mini grid development. Decision-makers can draw on these options and examples to scale up mini grid deployment in their own contexts. By acknowledging different national approaches to mini grids and providing context-specific considerations for implementation, this suite of knowledge products offers an adaptive approach.
Press Release: English - French | Infographic | Authors' Videos | Infographic
Energy Sector Management Assistance Program. 2022. Mini Grids for Half a Billion People: Market Outlook and Handbook for Decision Makers. Washington, DC: World Bank. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO
