ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some of the electrical infrastructure needs of the African continent and the Middle East region and some of the steps that are taken to address these needs. According to the World Bank, mini-grids could present a least-cost and timely option for up to 400 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia who currently do not have access to electricity. Devergy, a company based in Tanzania and founded by two Italians Fabio De Pascale and Gianluca Cescon, has developed a very clever solution for initial sizing of the mini-grid. In 2016, the World Bank's Energy Sector Management Assistance Program launched their Global Facility on Mini-Grids. Most mini-grids serve households in community settings in villages or small towns, but some also serve a commercial or industrial user such as a mining operation in a remote area, a local business such as a printing shop or a supplier of irrigation, or a telecommunication tower.
