Photo: Village shopt at dusk lit by solar panels. Sri Lanka. Photo: © Dominic Sansoni / World Bank
Inclusive business models in the energy sector
We are delighted to launch a new series of monthly Editorial Specials, in which we highlight our favourite resources on business and development.
As the concept of inclusive business takes root and people move from ideas into action, an increasing number of sector-specific reports on inclusive business models have begun to come out. This month, we focus on the energy sector, where three prominent reports deserve special mention:
There are a couple hundred pages of good material across these three reports alone. So where should busy energy sector folks look?
All three reports describe the need for access to energy at the base of the pyramid. All three describe business drivers like new markets, the opportunity for innovation, and competitive advantage. And all three examine three primary business models: electricity grid extension, distributed energy systems (which Endeva labels mini-grids and Hystra discusses within the category of rural cooperatives), and off-grid systems and devices such as solar home systems, solar lanterns, and biomass cookstoves. For each business model, common business challenges and success factors are identified. At the same time, all three reports emphasize the need for a broader enabling ecosystem for energy sector inclusive business models to succeed and scale – discussing the regulatory, policy, and financing requirements in varying degrees of detail. A common theme is that collaboration among business, government, civil society, and the donor community is critical.
If you’re a business manager or entrepreneur…
If you’re a social entrepreneur…
If you’re a government policymaker, bilateral or multilateral donor, be sure to check out WBCSD’s framework for policy action to support private sector provision of energy at the BOP.
These Editorial Specials are compiled by our team of Associate Editors.