"With a US$1.6 million mini-grid installed, more than a thousand households on the island of Yesagyo in Magway Region were connected to electricity for the first time last month. The project was partly funded by the World Bank and Myanmar firm Parami Energy. Mandalay Yoma Energy also sees the potential in the sector and operates over 40 solar hybrid mini-grids Myanmar. It is a joint venture between French Engie Group’s GDF International SAS and Singapore-based consultancy Sol Partners. CEO Kapil Smith expects his firm to double the electricity generation capacity this year. “It is fulfilling to see how the sector has grown in Myanmar in the past two years versus other countries which have been trying for years,” he said. The rising business interest in Myanmar solar mini-grids reflects the vast potential of solar energy in the country as well as the role solar panels could play in bridging the nation’s energy deficit. Only less than half of Myanmar’s population has been connected to electricity, and rural areas generally lag behind cities in terms of electrification rate. The energy ministry’s National Electrification Plan aims to provide access to electricity to three-quarters of the population in 2025, and complete electrification by the end of this decade. The scheme is supported by the World Bank’s US$400 million worth of loans. However, access still seems like a distant dream for communities residing in islands and mountainous areas. The World Bank estimated it could take years or even more than a decade for the roughly 1.3 million people in remote areas in Chin, Kachin, Kayin, Shan, Rakhine, Tanintharyi and Sagaing states and regions to be connected to the national grid. “Off-grid solutions provide an alternative for communities in a decentralised manner, which is particularly useful for locations that will not receive access to the national grid for a significant period of time,” said Jordan Zele of Myanmar Energy Monitor..."