The Power of Green Mini-Grids

Imagine living without electricity— struggling to study after sunset, running a business without reliable power, or being unable to refrigerate food or vital medicines. For around 600 million people across Africa, this is a daily reality.

Access to electricity isn’t just about convenience; it’s about opportunity. It fuels education, supports healthcare, drives local businesses, and transforms entire communities. That’s why investing in Green Mini-Grids (GMGs) is a powerful way to help create lasting change.

Green Mini-Grids are localised, sustainable energy systems designed to bring reliable electricity to more rural African communities that national grids don’t reach. Powered by the sun and backed by battery storage and generators, GMGs provide a clean, affordable and reliable energy source to homes, schools, clinics and businesses—offering an alternative to costly, dirty fuels like diesel and kerosene.

The African continent is rich in solar energy, yet much of its rural population remains in the dark. Without electricity, communities struggle to grow and thrive. Children have to study by candlelight, health clinics operate without fridges for vaccines, and small businesses are limited in what they can achieve. But GMGs can help change all of that and more.

By providing a steady and sustainable energy source, GMGs empower communities in many ways:

With access to electricity, students can study later in the evenings, schools can use digital learning tools, and teachers and pupils can work in well-lit classrooms.

Reliable power means entrepreneurs can expand their businesses, from providing food and drinks or running internet cafés to powering small-scale manufacturing. It provides small businesses with the opportunity grow and become profitable with energy access, improving local African economies for all communities.

Health clinics can keep vaccines refrigerated and use more sophisticated life-saving medical equipment, providing better care to their communities.

How investing can make a difference
Funding the construction of a GMG requires a combination of grants, loans, and equity. Development finance organisations, such as the World Bank, offer Results-Based Finance (RBF) grants once a GMG is up and running.  The timeframe to buy the solar equipment and construct the grid connections is approximately one year. 

Energise Africa is providing construction loans to proven GMG developers—helping to bridge the funding gap and accelerate progress. These loans are structured to be repaid through the receipts under the RBF, meaning that investors can support transformative projects with a short-term repayment model in place.

With a lifespan of over 25 years, each GMG continues to generate affordable electricity for the communities it serves, creating long-term impact and sustainability. The funding provided through an EA bond provides generational impact for the long term.  Investing in GMGs isn’t just about funding infrastructure; it’s about lighting up lives, powering progress, and building a brighter future for Africa.

When you invest in Green Mini-Grids, you’re not just supporting clean energy access—you’re helping to promote education, economic development, and improved healthcare for African communities.