Decentralised Renewable Energy (DRE) typically consists of solar panels, from small to large systems, integrated with battery storage. DRE systems are agile, financially accessible and resilient, and can deliver grid-quality electricity.
In certain settings DRE is already proving more cost-effective than diesel. The World Bank's DRE Atlas cites parts of South Asia where standalone rooftop solar reduced energy costs for small enterprises from about $0.17/kWh with diesel to as low as $0.04/kWh.
Across low- and middle-income regions there is an opportunity to move toward a more distributed approach to electrification, especially in areas that remain off-grid.
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