Solar Off-grid PV products

Sictsdolar off-grid PV products and Energy Access for the global poor

Client
The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) is an independent non-profit organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. ICTSD aims to ensure that sustainable development is advanced through trade-related policy and agreements.
Context
ICTSD engaged RESolve to conduct a study to scope out the main trade-related issues and challenges related to access to energy. The scope included assessment of the impact of trade protectionism (in the form of Domestic Content Requirements (DCR)) on the poor people who have very little energy access.
Action

  • Analysed the impact of energy access on the quality of living of people. The various aspects of energy access like urban vs rural, gender, geography(South Asia, Africa, etc) were analysed.
  • The role off-grid solar PV systems can play in improving energy access was determined.
  • The significance of free trade of PV products was examined and the impact of restrictive trade practices like DCR and import duties on improving energy access was analysed.
  • Some of the success stories of off-grid solar in countries in South Asia and Africa were highlighted.

Result
The study, after peer review, will be published shortly.