Off-Grid Solar Power Solutions

Solar panel for home use rural Malawi

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Off-Grid Solar Power Solutions
SectorMost major industry classification systems use sources of revenue as their basis for classifying companies into specific sectors, subsectors and industries. In order to group like companies based on their sustainability-related risks and opportunities, SASB created the Sustainable Industry Classification System® (SICS®) and the classification of sectors, subsectors and industries in the SDG Investor Platform is based on SICS.
Renewable Resources and Alternative Energy
Alternative Energy
Business Model Description

Invest in off-grid solar systems, including setting-up and manufacturing mini-grids and solar home systems (SHS) as standalone solutions for basic lighting, heating and appliance services for communities who lack access or cannot afford the national electricity supply.

Expected Impact

Increase access to electricity for households and industries in remote regions with cost-effective solutions and high reliability.

Indicative ReturnDescribes the rate of growth an investment is expected to generate within the IOA. The indicative return is identified for the IOA by establishing its Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Return of Investment (ROI) or Gross Profit Margin (GPM).
20% - 25% (in ROI)
Investment TimeframeDescribes the time period in which the IOA will pay-back the invested resources. The estimate is based on asset expected lifetime as the IOA will start generating accumulated positive cash-flows.
Medium Term (5–10 years)
Market SizeDescribes the value of potential addressable market of the IOA. The market size is identified for the IOA by establishing the value in USD, identifying the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) or providing a numeric unit critical to the IOA.
275,000 households do not have financial or physical access to electricity
Average Ticket Size (USD)Describes the USD amount for a typical investment required in the IOA.
< USD 500,000
Direct ImpactDescribes the primary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7) Climate Action (SDG 13) Good health and well-being (SDG 3) Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12)
Indirect ImpactDescribes the secondary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9) Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10) Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)
Sector Sources
  • 1) Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy. 2018. Kingdom Of Eswatini Energy Masterplan 2034. http://www.gov.sz/images/Media/WEB_KINGDOM_OF_ESWATINI_ENERGY_MASTERPLAN_2034-1.pdf 2) Ministry of Economic Planning and Development. 2019. National Development Plan (NDP) 2019/20-2021/22. http://www.gov.sz/images/CabinetMinisters/NDP-2019-20-to-2021-22-final.pdf 3) FinMark Trust. 2020. Financial Inclusion Refresh. https://finmark.org.za/system/documents/files/000/000/391/original/Eswatini_Financial_Inclusion_Refresh.pdf?1614849476 4) USAID. 2021. Eswatini Power Africa Sheet. https://www.usaid.gov/powerafrica/eswatini 5) Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy. 2018. National Energy Policy. https://www.gov.sz/images/natural-resources/energy/NATIONAL_ENERGY_POLICY_PRINT.pdf 6) Ministry of Economic Planning and Development. 2017. Strategy for Sustainable Development and Inclusive Growth (SSDIG) (Offline) 7) African Development Bank & Green Climate Fund. 2018. Eswatini Energy Programme. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/21210-eswatini-energy-programme.pdf 8) African Development Bank. 2020. Country Strategy Paper 2020-2024. https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/eswatini-country-strategy-paper-2020-2024 9) Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs & Ministry of Economic Planning and Development. 2021. Kingdom of Eswatini’s Revised Nationally Determined Contributions (Offline) 10) Renewables Now. 2021. Eswatini pursues more renewables to reduce power imports. https://renewablesnow.com/news/eswatini-pursues-more-renewables-to-reduce-power-imports-742297/
IOA Sources
  • 11) WhattsUp Solar. 2022. Company website. https://wattsupsolar.co.sz/about-us.html 12) The Guardian. 2021. Handwashing and hot tea: Eswatini celebrates roll out of solar-heated water. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/apr/16/handwashing-and-hot-tea-eswatini-celebrates-roll-out-of-solar-heated-water 13) Ecolibri. 2022. Company website. https://www.ecolibri.it/pilot_systems/africa-swaziland-siteki-tikhuba-school/ 14) Solar Xgen. 2022. eSwatini Solar Power Solutions. http://solarxgen.co.za/solarxgen-eswatini-swaziland/ 15) Finmark Trust. 2020. Eswatini: Energy and the Poor. https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/publications/UNDP-UNCDF-eSwatini-Energy-and-the-Poor.pdf 16) IRENA. 2014. Renewables Readiness Assessment. https://www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2014/IRENA_RRA_Swaziland_2014.pdf 17) UNDP stakeholder consultation with Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy and Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority. January, 2022 18) Swiss Re. Profiling the Risk of Solar and Wind. https://www.swissre.com/dam/jcr:3260a7b2-960d-48c4-9e4c-3ada7922aec0/Profiling-the-risks-in-solar-and-wind.pdf 19) Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini. 2015. Independent Power Producers (IPP) Policy. https://www.esera.org.sz/legislation/docs/1578991946.pdf 20) GET. Invest. 2022. Energy Sector: Eswatini. https://www.get-invest.eu/market-information/eswatini/market-segments/ 21) SUNBADGER Solar. 2021. Solar ROI Calculator: Finding Your Actual Solar Panel Return On Investment (Company Website). https://sunbadger.com/solar-roi-calculator/ 22) US Department of State. 2021 Investment Climate Statements: Eswatini. https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-investment-climate-statements/eswatini/ 23) United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 2022. Statistics, SDG Indicators Database. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/UNSDG/IndDatabasePage 24) UNDP stakeholder consultation with Eswatini Electricity Company. February, 2022 25) The Guardian. April 2021. Handwashing and hot tea: Eswatini celebrates roll out of solar-heated water. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/apr/16/handwashing-and-hot-tea-eswatini-celebrates-roll-out-of-solar-heated-water 26) UNDP. 2016. Kingdom of Eswatini Sustainable Energy for All Investment Prospectus. https://www.se4all-africa.org/fileadmin/uploads/se4all/Documents/Country_IPs/Swaziland_Investment_Prospectus.pdf 27) Eswatini Electricity Company. 2022. Website: INTRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY SUBSIDY & APPLICATION PROCESS. http://www.eec.co.sz/clients/lifeline/index.php 28) ESERA. 2020. Website: Tariff Structure. https://www.esera.org.sz/tariffs/structure/ 29) UNDP stakeholder consultation with solar energy company in Eswatini. January, 2022