The number shows a slow-down versus 2022 and places the industry off-track to achieve its projected contribution to universal energy access
TV, fans, refrigeration units and solar water pump sales grew compared to last year, mainly driven by fan sales
The latest semi-annual Global Off-Grid Solar Market Report published by GOGLA, the global association for the off-grid solar industry, with support from Efficiency for Access and the World Bank Group’s Lighting Global Program, shows that GOGLA affiliates sold 8.96 million solar energy kits, a drop of a little over half a million units versus sales in 2022, linked to structural declines in South Asia as well as to lower sales or slower growth in core markets in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In the last two years, the number of people benefitting from improved energy access through off-grid solar products has increased by 16 million. However, sales would need to grow sustainably to reach universal energy access by 2030 and maximise the potential of productive use of renewable energy (PURE). As we saw in our recently published Investment Data, the numbers would need to grow 7X to realize the off-grid solar industry’s potential impact.
The new report shares data from July to December of 2023 and allows for estimates of total sales for 2023. Data is gathered from leading off-grid solar and energy-efficient appliance companies that represent around 28% of the overall off-grid solar market (termed ‘GOGLA affiliates’).
Despite showing great resilience during COVID and the following years, the off-grid solar industry is seeing the impact of several macroeconomic factors that are slowing down sales. Affordability remains a major issue for the people we serve so we call on development partners to double down on their support for the off-grid solar sector. We need to work together and scale to achieve our projected impact and power 1 billion lives by 2030.Sarah Malm, Executive Director of GOGLA
- Today, 116 million people benefit from improved access to energy through off-grid solar energy kits from GOGLA affiliates and close to 15 million are benefiting from improved access to appliances.
- To date, solar energy kits have avoided 109 million metric tons of CO2e, the equivalent of taking 26 coal-fired power plants offline for a year.
- 4.6 million solar energy kits were sold in the second half of 2023, a 7% increase compared to the first half of the year (which historically tends to be weaker) and 11% lower than the second half of 2022.
- Aggregated sales of key off-grid appropriate appliances (TVs, fans, refrigeration units, and solar water pumps) reached 1.79 million units in 2023, up from 1.53 million units sold in 2022. 70% of units reported are fans, 28% are TVs, 2% are solar water pumps and less than 1% are fridges.
Despite global challenges, off-grid solar companies saw year-on-year growth in sales of energy-efficient appliances. This reflects sector resilience but also underscores the need for increased support and investment to drive further impact on people's lives and livelihoods. Jakub Vrba, Senior Research Lead at Efficiency for Access
* You can access the full Global Off-Grid Solar Market Report Semi-Annual Sales and Impact Data July-December 2023 here.
GOGLA is the global association for the off-grid solar energy industry. Our 200+ members provide millions of low-income and climate-vulnerable people with affordable, high-quality products and services; rapidly increasing customers’ productivity, connectivity, and resilience.
To enable sustainable businesses and accelerate energy access, we provide market insights, standards and best practice, and advocate for catalytic policies, programmes and investment. Working with partners, our pioneering industry can improve the lives of 1 billion people by 2030.
To find out more, visit www.gogla.org.
Lighting Global is the World Bank Group’s initiative to rapidly increase access to off-grid solar energy for the 733 million people living without electricity world-wide. Managed by the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), we work with governments, the private sector, development partners, and end-users, continually innovating to unlock key market barriers and enable access and affordability to those that would otherwise be left behind. Our support has expanded to technologies that go far beyond lighting, including systems to power the needs of households, businesses, schools, and health centers. We operate with funding gratefully acknowledged from ESMAP and their donors.
For more information, please visit www.lightingglobal.org
Efficiency for Access is a global coalition working to promote high performing appliances that enable access to clean energy for the world’s poorest people. It is a catalyst for change, accelerating the growth of off-grid appliance markets to boost incomes, reduce carbon emissions, improve quality of life, and support sustainable development. Efficiency for Access consists of 20 Donor Roundtable Members, 19 Programme Partners, and more than 30 Investor Network members. Current Efficiency for Access Coalition members have programmes and initiatives spanning 62 countries and 34 key technologies. The Efficiency for Access Coalition is coordinated jointly by CLASP, an international appliance energy efficiency and market development specialist not-for-profit organisation, and UK’s Energy Saving Trust, which specialises in energy efficiency product verification, data and insight, advice, and research.
For more information, please visit www.efficiencyforaccess.org
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