Panel Discussion of of the Session Off-Grid: When Will Off-Grid PV Follow the Affordability Trend?(BSW)

Recording of Wednesday, May 07, 2025 | The smarter E Europe Conferences 2025 | Conference Program | Language: English | Duration: 50:05 .

Experts Highlight Community Inclusion and Innovative Financing as Key to Advancing Solar Energy in Africa

The content delves into the solar energy sector's efforts to enhance efficiency and compliance through upskilling electricians and maintaining installation standards. In Namibia, Rayyan seeks to address financing and quality control challenges by learning from established organizations like BSW. They aim to implement a PV passport system for tracking installations' historical data, even if suppliers exit the market. Financing models such as microfinance require subsidies due to high default rates without them; institutional grants are preferred over individual ones for sustainable growth in this sector. AI could streamline credit scoring processes but remains underutilized despite its potential benefits. In South Africa, structured tender programs have succeeded with government-backed guarantees facilitating private-sector electricity procurement—a model adaptable elsewhere given similar conditions exist regarding guaranteed off-takers anchoring demand within communities. Community inclusion is emphasized across value chains, particularly in operation sectors where educational institutions integrate internships aligning student experience with market demands. Political stability is crucial for innovative financial models amid uncertainty; consistent educational financing rules akin to Germany’s approach should be maintained unless advised otherwise by relevant associations. An upcoming Offgrid workshop organized with BSW will explore overcoming intermittency issues via storage solutions while enhancing productivity through certification standards fostering trust necessary for scaling projects effectively.

_{Automated summarization by AI Conver}

Speaker

David Wedepohl
Managing Director International Affairs
BSW - German Solar Association
Germany

Rethabile Melamu
CEO
South African Photovoltaic Industry Association
South Africa

Felix Boldt
CEO
Solarworx GmbH
Germany

Talk of session: Off-Grid: When Will Off-Grid PV Follow the Affordability Trend?

Photovoltaic prices have fallen continuously in recent years - a trend that should translate into a growing market for off-grid solutions. Declining costs are crucial for rural electrification in particular, making sustainable energy supply economically viable in remote regions. However, so far many of these price advantages have not yet reached the people that need them most. Do existing framework conditions to foster rural electrification still work in this new market reality? Which measures are needed to ensure that cost reductions reach our target group? This session discusses strategies for improving the availability of low-cost off-grid solutions, financing and innovative business models. A look at successful practical examples shows which political, economic and technological levers need to be pulled to make off-grid PV accessible on a large scale.

Further Talks of this session: