Worldwide, around 1 billion people currently lack access to electricity, the vast majority in rural areas. A real opportunity exists to now meet this challenge with private sector solutions for off-grid renewable energy, either via solar-battery mini-grids or solar home systems.

This report, Derisking Renewable Energy Investment: Off Grid Electrification, expands the DREI framework to private-sector models for solar-battery mini-grids. DREI is an innovative, quantitative framework to assist policymakers to cost-effectively promote private sector investment in renewable energy in developing countries.

The report sets out a theory of change, introduces key concepts/tools and methodological steps, and includes two illustrative case studies in Uttar Pradesh (India) and Kenya. The report demonstrates how targeted derisking measures can result in significant reductions in tariffs, and daily energy spend, for end-users.  

The report is accompanied by a financial Excel tool on mini-grid sizing and levelised costs.The following materials are available for download (left-hand side of this page):  

• Full Report (PDF) (English)
• Executive Summary (PDF) (English)
• Mini-grid LCOE Financial Tool (Excel) (USD) (Version 1.1, June 2020)

UNDP has developed the report in partnership with ETH Zurich.

For more information on UNDP’s derisking work, please visit the main DREI page.