The International Renewable Energy Agency is calling for stronger and more coordinated efforts to expand equitable access to off-grid renewable energy, warning that recent progress is failing to reach many of the communities that need it most. While deployment has accelerated globally, IRENA says gaps remain particularly stark in remote and low-income regions where off-grid systems are often the only viable option for electricity access.
Global off-grid renewable capacity climbed to 11.1 gigawatts in 2024, supplying power to roughly 86 million people worldwide, according to the agency’s latest data. But IRENA cautions that headline growth figures mask uneven outcomes on the ground, with many isolated areas still underserved despite rapid expansion in decentralized solar, mini-hydro, and other standalone renewable technologies.
An estimated two million off-grid systems are now in use worldwide, supporting essential services across communications, public lighting, agriculture, healthcare, tourism, and education. IRENA noted that many households relying on off-grid power receive fewer than eight hours of electricity per day, limiting the broader economic and social benefits these systems are meant to deliver.
Furthermore, more than 66 million people worldwide still lack access to electricity altogether, with the burden falling disproportionately on low-income populations living in isolated areas.
According to IRENA, this gap shows that off-grid solutions must move beyond basic connections and focus on delivering reliable, sufficient energy that can genuinely improve livelihoods. The agency stressed that modern off-grid renewables can support clean water access, sanitation, digital education, and local job creation, aligning closely with several UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Examples from the field illustrate what is possible when systems are designed around community needs. In Kenya’s Kwale County, a coastal fishing community is using solar power to run cold storage facilities, reducing spoilage and increasing incomes. In Rwanda’s Eastern Province, women farmers in Bugesera have installed a solar-powered irrigation system, cutting dependence on rainfall and boosting crop yields.
Similar projects are emerging elsewhere across developing nations. In Epworth, Zimbabwe, a solar-driven borehole is supplying clean water to a school and nearby residents, easing pressure on overstretched water sources. In Papua New Guinea, a small-scale hydropower project is providing electricity to schools in Hogave, improving learning conditions in an area previously reliant on diesel and kerosene.
IRENA argues that scaling these successes will require closer alignment with local development goals, better financing mechanisms, and stronger policy support. Without additional effort, the agency warned, off-grid renewables risk delivering partial solutions rather than the transformative impact they are capable of providing.
Renewable sector players like GeoSolar Technologies Inc. could look into developing custom solutions that address the needs of these underserved communities. Existing projects have made the case for the economic viability of such systems, so opportunities abound for entrepreneurs willing to leverage these openings.
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