Impact Assessment of Solar Mini-grid, Solar Irrigation and Improved Cooking Stove Projects of IDCOL

Abstract

One of the major pathways towards sustained and higher economic growth is through providing access to electricity in rural poor population excluded from grid-electricity connection due to geographical barriers. Since 2010, the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) has been financing implementation of solar mini grid (SMG) projects as part of scaling up solar electricity in order to meet the higher electricity needs of the market, small enterprises and households. IDCOL has so far financed 23 solar mini-grid projects in rural remote areas. The objective of this study is to estimate the socio-economic benefits of solar mini-grid project of IDCOL. The study analyzes the impact of SMG adoption on households’ income, asset, educational and social outcomes using primary survey data of 2000 households. Access to SMG not only provided better electricity in terms of reliability and lighting coverage compared to IDCOL’s other renewable projects (e.g. Solar Home System); it also makes a positive impact on children’s education, income generation, improvement of quality of life, safety and security.