Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE)

Accelerating the uptake of distributed renewable energy, to provide fast, clean, cheap power where it is needed most

By integrating DRE into the power system you reach people faster—ramping up reliability, cutting carbon, saving money, and building more resilient systems.

The scalability of mini grids and other DRE systems means that these systems can support emerging multi-kilowatt loads associated with smallholder farming, light commercial, community factories, and schools, as well as multi-megawatt loads on urban and semi-urban distribution circuits.
We target $30bn flowing to DREs by 2030, to change lives for 180m people.

We can do this by cutting cost and making the leap to scale. At the heart of the Alliance, we:

  • Build demonstration projects, to show what’s possible
  • Develop pipelines, to aggregate the opportunity
  • Support the ecosystem for scale: governments, developers, investors
Meet the Alliance

Latest on DRE

Our DRE Projects

Ethiopia

Distributed Renewable Energy for Agricultural Modalities (DREAM): Powering agriculture with private sector mini grids in Ethiopia

Standalone systems
Nigeria

Utility-enabled distributed renewables: With utilities, deploying DREs at the grid edge to displace diesel and provide reliable power to businesses

All sectors
Democratic Republic of the Congo

Nuru: Equity investment to help Nuru close $70M finance and start building the next 13.7MW of metro grids in Eastern DRC

Mini-grids
Indonesia

Renewable Energy Access for Last mile (REAL): Working with the utility to replace diesel and electrify remote communities and islands across Indonesia

Mini-grids
Myanmar

Smart Power Myanmar: Unlocking finance for distributed solar across Myanmar

Mini-grids
India

Energizing agriculture and MSMEs: Supporting state governments to deploy hundreds of megawatts of power to farmers and small businesses

All sectors
Haiti

Alina Eneji: Building mesh grids to electrify Haiti

Mini-grids
Puerto Rico

Resilient energy for critical facilities: Using DREs to build disaster resilience in the energy system

Interconnected DREs
Malawi

Solar power for agriculture: Demonstrating renewable power solutions for agricultural value chains across the country

Standalone systems
Nigeria

Energizing Agriculture Program: Showing the business models for deploying DREs with agriculture

Mini-grids

Spotlight Stories

14 partners are coming together to close the electricity access gap across the continent
IDB, IDB Invest
Read more
Electrifying islands and remote communities with DRE
Rallying round a goal to electrify 300 million people by 2030
World Bank, AfDB
Read more
Partnering with The World Bank to co-design the $750m DARES project, focused on results-based financing for renewable energy access, along with funding essential preparatory work through ESMAP
ESMAP, World Bank
Read more
14 partners are coming together to close the electricity access gap across the continent
IDB, IDB Invest
Read more
Electrifying islands and remote communities with DRE
Rallying round a goal to electrify 300 million people by 2030
World Bank, AfDB
Read more
Partnering with The World Bank to co-design the $750m DARES project, focused on results-based financing for renewable energy access, along with funding essential preparatory work through ESMAP
ESMAP, World Bank
Read more

Impacting lives with DRE

Productive Use of Energy
Gender

Let’s change energy

in Goma, DRC

Nuru, based in Goma, DRC, is one of Africa’s pioneering renewable energy-powered metrogrid companies. By delivering world-class renewable energy and connectivity services, Nuru aims to empower 5 million Congolese people, one connection at a time.

Meet Our Experts

  • Edward Borgstein
    Managing Director, Government Enablement & Country Delivery
    Global
  • Suman Sureshbabu
    Managing Director, Demand, Jobs & Livelihood
    Global
  • Victor Okinda
    Manager, Solutions
    Africa
  • Makena Ireri
    Director, Demand, Jobs & Livelihood
    Africa
  • Dennis Nderitu
    Manager, Energy Systems
    Africa
  • Fauzia Okediji
    Manager, Utility Innovation
    Nigeria
  • Roberto Estevez
    Manager, Country Delivery
    Latin America & Caribbean
  • Jess Kersey
    Technical & Strategy Consultant
    Latin America & Caribbean