Global Facility on Mini Grids
Overview
Mini grids have risen to prominence over the last few years and are poised to play a significant role in World Bank energy access programs going forward. New technologies—including remote monitoring; smart meters; and robust, inexpensive battery storage—now make it possible for countries and developers to deploy mini grids at unprecedented scale.
ESMAP’s Global Facility on Mini Grids (GFMG) was launched in 2016 to increase the deployment of portfolios of mini grids in World Bank operations and client country electrification programs. At that time, only a few countries were including significant numbers of mini grids in their national electrification plans.
The GFMG has helped take mini grids from a niche to a mainstream solution, with an emphasis on robust national and international markets and policies driving the sector’s growth at scale to provide large numbers of people with access to high-quality, affordable electricity.
The GFMG is collaborating with the IFC, MIGA, and IDA operations teams to accelerate private sector investment in mini grids over the next five years.
