Recording of Tuesday, June 23, 2026 | The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Language: English | Duration: 14:32 .

Okra's Innovative Mesh Grid Solutions for Off-Grid Electrification

Okra is a B2B company dedicated to developing hardware and software for energy access in off-grid areas, targeting the 600 to 700 million people globally without electricity. The company utilizes mesh grid technology, which allows individual households to generate their own energy with solar panels while interconnecting through smaller cables. This decentralized approach eliminates the need for a central power station, making it practical for communities with fewer than a thousand households, particularly in regions like Nigeria and Haiti. By implementing a hub-and-spoke system, Okra accommodates diverse energy demands, with 20% of users needing higher energy for productive uses and 80% requiring energy for basic needs. Okra has already energized over 50,000 people and continues to refine their approach by leveraging advanced software for planning and financial modeling. Despite historical challenges, recent deployments have demonstrated a strong community demand for electricity, and Okra is committed to demonstrating the value of mesh grids to regulators and securing financing to accelerate deployment in underserved areas.

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Speaker

Diogo Costa
Product Manager
Obton A/S
Denmark

Talk of session: Off-Grid: Market Outlook and Lessons Learned

This session provides an overview of current market trends and forecasts in the off-grid sector. Industry experts will be sharing key insights from recent projects, highlighting successes, challenges and lessons learned from real-world implementation. The discussion will offer practical takeaways for stakeholders looking to better understand market dynamics and develop resilient, scalable off-grid energy solutions.

Further Talks of this session:

Welcome & Introduction

Speaker

Dr. Philipp Blechinger
Head of Unit Off-Grid Systems
Reiner Lemoine Institut gGmbH

To Talk

Off-Grid Solar: Untapping Africa's Next Multi-Million Wave of Electricity Consumers

Speaker

Sohan Gwalani
Research Analyst
Wood Mackenzie
United Kingdom

To Talk

Success Factors for the Sustainable Operation of a Mini-Grid

Speaker

Xenia Rebsam
Chief of Staff
Off-Grid Europe GmbH
Germany

To Talk

Community-Led Energy Transitions in Off-Grid Arctic Communities

Speaker

Robert Cooke
Manager, Operations
Northern Energy Innovation, Yukon University
Canada

To Talk

When Engineers Can't Travel: Solar Mini-Grids in Niger

Speaker

Valentin Laroche
Design Engineer
TTA - Trama TecoAmbiental
Spain

To Talk

Q&A Session

To Talk

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