Bringing clean, affordable, off-grid energy access to millions

The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa has launched a funding round in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

A first funding round in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has opened on 21 June 2022. The Call for Proposals invites private sector companies, i.e. energy service providers in the off-grid sector, to apply for financing through an online application process divided into two stages. Detailed information about the application process and selection criteria is available under Funding rounds – current funding rounds. The Questions & Answers document is now published and available on the funding round page.

Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa has signed further projects with off-grid energy service companies in Burkina Faso, Liberia and Zambia

We have signed four further agreements with off-grid energy service companies in Burkina Faso, Liberia and Zambia to support the expansion and scale-up of mini-grid connections and sales of high-quality solar home systems. With these projects, the BGFA programme has now contracted ten projects supporting the establishment of over 580,000 off-grid energy connections.

First BGFA-funded project signed in Burkina Faso

The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) has signed its first agreement in Burkina Faso with Oolu Burkina Faso to support the scale-up of high-quality solar home systems for people living in rural areas of Burkina Faso and improve energy access in these areas.

First BGFA projects signed in Zambia

The first new contracts, after finalised pilot programme, has been signed with off-grid energy service companies to support the expansion and scale-up of high-quality solar home systems and development of mini-grid connections.

The first three contracted companies will expand, scale-up and develop their existing business operations across Zambia. The plan is that they will establish over 140,000 new energy service subscriptions, supporting energy access in rural and peri-urban areas in Zambia.

BGFA announces its first projects in Liberia 

The first contracts under the first Call for Proposals (BGFA1), targeted at Burkina Faso, Liberia and Zambia, have been signed in Liberia. Further supported projects in the three countries will be announced in coming months.

The call, which was launched in September 2020, received a strong response among energy service providers. A total of 46 applicants were invited to take part in the Final Application stage, carried out in 2021.

Programme overview

Our new brochure provides an overview of the BGFA programme, country specific targets and funders. The overall programme aim is to establish up to 1.35 million energy connections and benefit more than 6 million people by 2028.

Solar home systems and mini-grids in Uganda

The third call for proposals (BGFA3) is expected to enable the establishment of up to 600,000 energy connections and benefit more than 3 million people in remote areas of Uganda. The call closed for Pre-Qualification submissions in summer 2021 and received 30 applications, of which 19 passed the internal completeness check.

The Final Application stage for BGFA3 has been completed in March 2022 and evaluation is ongoing.

Mini-grids in Mozambique

The second call for proposals (BGFA2) aims to accelerate access to affordable and clean off-grid energy for customers in peri-urban and rural areas of Mozambique. The BGFA2 call closed for Pre-Qualification submissions in spring 2021.

Of the 17 applications received, 10 have passed the initial, internal completeness check and undergone the process of evaluation and scoring of submitted concept notes by independent evaluators. Seven applicants have subsequently passed the Pre-Qualification stage. The aim is to proceed with the Final Application stage in 2022.

Kick-starting markets for clean, off-grid energy in Africa

Building on the experience from an award-winning innovative approach tested in Zambia

BGFA was set-up in 2019 on the initiative of the Swedish Government, building on the successful, award-winning initial pilot phase in Zambia, the Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia (BGFZ). BGFA is an ambitious multi-donor funding facility that aims to kick-start markets for clean, off-grid energy in Sub-Saharan African countries. It works through a combination of an innovative results-based financing mechanisms for energy companies, close cooperation with governments and real-time data collection and analysis.