Essential Reading from the Efficiency for Access Coalition
The continued development of off-grid and weak-grid renewable energy markets — and continued progress in energy access — is tied to improved availability of well-designed, affordable, highly energy-efficient appliances
Appliances deliver critical energy services such as refrigeration, cooling, and communications that improve the lives and incomes of under-served households and communities. The continued development of off-grid and weak-grid renewable energy markets — and continued progress in energy access — is tied to improved availability of well-designed, affordable, highly energy-efficient appliances.
Unfortunately, markets for many cost-effective and energy-efficient technologies remain nascent, hindered by a plethora of barriers including lack of consumer and market intelligence, underdeveloped market infrastructure, insufficient resources, unsupportive enabling environments, and low availability and affordability.
Understanding that knowledge and data equip market actors with the insights and confidence they need to build strong, sustainable markets for off-grid appliances and equipment, the Efficiency for Access Coalition has assembled an essential off-grid reading list. The following contains our major research outputs of the past year, broken out into four categories. Together, these resources set the foundational knowledge needed to understand off-grid technologies, markets, consumers, impacts, and related policies.
Understanding Off-Grid Technologies
Off-Grid Refrigeration Technology Roadmap This roadmap identifies the technology improvements that can deliver significant energy efficiency and performance improvements in off-grid refrigerators and recommends a series of supporting actions to smooth out their development.
Solar Water Pump Technology Roadmap This roadmap identifies how remote monitoring systems and brushless DC motors can improve the energy efficiency and performance of solar water pumps, and outlines areas for future research.
Off-Grid Appliance Performance Testing: Results and Trends for Early-Stage Market Development This paper gives readers a glimpse of the status, efficiency and cost trends of televisions, fans, and refrigerators — the top three appliances with the largest potential to scale.
Catalysing Technology Innovation in the Off-Grid Market Through Appropriate Product Performance Testing in the Laboratory and Field This paper analyzes the performance of off-grid refrigerators and explores the importance of conducting field-testing as a complement to lab-testing.
Understanding Off-Grid Markets & Customers
Tanzania Market Snapshot: Horticulture Value Chains and Potential for Solar Water Pump Technology This study unearths new market intelligence on irrigation patterns in the Tanzanian horticulture sector and fills important gaps on the adoption of solar irrigation technology, which market actors may use to inform solar water pump design, promotion, and market development efforts in Tanzania and beyond.
Global Off-Grid Solar Market Report Semi-Annual Sales and Impact Data (H2 2018) This report includes off-grid solar lighting sales from GOGLA and Lighting Global program affiliates and, for the first time ever, off-grid appliance sales for televisions, fans, refrigerators, and solar water pumps.
Appliance Data Trends 2018 This report examines efficiency and price trends of off-grid appropriate TVs, fans, and refrigerators — the appliances most in demand by un- and under-electrified consumers — and highlights opportunities for potential product performance improvements.
Off-Grid Appliance Market Survey 2018 This report assesses the demand and impact potential of 46 off-grid appropriate appliances and provides a framework for stakeholders to identify business opportunities and high-impact interventions around efficient appliances.
Understanding the Impacts of Off-Grid Appliances
Use and Benefits of Solar Water Pumps This report provides valuable insights on customer purchasing decisions and use cases for solar water pumps, as well as compelling evidence on their positive impacts on farmer productivity and quality of life.
Understanding the Policies Needed to Promote Off-Grid Appliances
Promoting High-Performing Off-Grid Appliances This brief explores how policymakers might use test methods, quality standards, and labeling programs to promote energy efficiency and quality in off- and weak-grid appropriate appliances.
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This reading list represents just a sampling of the research and resources available. Please visit the Efficiency for Access Coalition’s website to browse the full publication library.