The partners are seeking to increase the number of people accessing power.
Energy investment fund CrossBoundary and the Rockefeller Foundation have launched mini-grid innovation labs for Sub-Saharan Africa, a platform for testing innovations in the mini-grid sector with a focus on increasing the number of people accessing power. Kenya and Tanzania are currently the testing grounds for new business model innovations for mini-grids that are also set for launch in Nigeria and Zambia. The project will test business solutions for mini-grids based in Africa with the aim of scaling up their operations to provide more power to additional people at a lower cost. The labs will carry out the activity in partnership with African Mini-Grid Developers Association (AMDA), Energy4Impact and institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University. The project will also try to establish how mini-grids can integrate with the national grid. “Achieving the labs’ objectives could potentially accelerate the ability of mini-grids to provide power to millions of people in Africa,” a CrossBoundary official said.