Mini-grid provider will scale-up access to electricity in rural DRC

BGFA has signed its fourth project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with the mini-grid provider Les Soleils de la Garamba S.A.S.U, the local operational subsidiary of MyJouleBox. With EUR 3 million in BGFA funding, Les Soleils de la Garamba will be able to expand the mini-grid with an additional 1 MW, as a second phase of the mini-grid site deployment. 

New study on lessons learned from programmes incentivising mini-grid projects

A new study ‘Lessons learned from 12 years of mini-grid results-based financing in Africa’, conducted by The Future of Energy, offers lessons and future recommendations for incentivising mini-grid projects through results-based financing mechanisms to scale up energy access in Africa.

Study shows that BGFA-financed companies are substantially improving quality of life for electricity customers

In a customer satisfaction survey of end users of BGFA-financed companies, 96% of those living in rural Liberia, Uganda and Zambia said their lives had improved as a result of access to electricity through the off-grid appliances provided by the companies.

BGFA in 2024: Over 3 million people with access to electricity

During 2024, the BGFA programme provided 370,000 new energy connections – typically small solar home systems – bringing total subscriptions to over 610,000 by the end of the year. In total, the established energy connections have brought electricity to 3.15 million people so far and supported approx. 5,000 African businesses, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises.

BGFA-funded mini-grids are delivering electricity in Liberia

The first newly constructed mini-grids co-funded by BGFA are delivering electricity in northern rural Liberia. The mini-grids, developed and operated by Energicity, have the potential to provide up to 8,000 Liberians with access to electricity.

BGFA in short

The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa is incentivising private companies to expand electricity access in rural Sub-Saharan Africa. BGFA finances renewable energy businesses, providing off-grid electricity through solar home systems, solar-powered mini-grids, and other solar-powered solutions, including battery rentals, refrigerators and freezers, and agricultural appliances such as water pumps for irrigation. Check our flyer for a short overview.

Institutional support programme has supported market creation and scale-up of energy access in Zambia

A new study shows that the Off-Grid Task Force in Zambia has accelerated the growth of the country’s off-grid energy sector and transformed challenges into opportunities. Currently, lessons learned from the Zambia programme are being implemented across all countries supported by the Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) with the aim of addressing a broad range of key factors through scaling up activities to reach more underserved populations with affordable off-grid electricity solutions. Read more through the beneath link and download the report and a summary flyer.

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.