20 March 2014
ADB Explores Myanmar’s Off-Grid Electricity Options
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The Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Energy for All Initiative has released a study exploring the potential to alleviate Myanmar's extreme energy poverty using decentralized, offgrid electrification strategies.

It showcases proposals that ADB is now trying to implement, for offgrid energy to serve four case study villages.

ADB14 March 2014: The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Energy for All Initiative has released a study exploring the potential to alleviate Myanmar’s extreme energy poverty using decentralized, offgrid electrification strategies. It showcases proposals that ADB is now trying to implement, for offgrid energy to serve four case study villages.

The average per capita electricity consumption of Myanmar’s 60 million person population is only 100 kWh per year, or approximately one quarter of what it takes to run a full-sized domestic refrigerator for a year. The report, titled ‘Scoping Off-Grid Renewable Energy Opportunities in Myanmar,’ investigates opportunities for rural electrification in Mandalay and Chin state, finding that approximately 1,000 households can be served with a combination of basic solar photovoltaic home systems, solar lantern rental and recharging, and a small minigrid for US$320,000. Using the proposals presented in the report, the ADB is now preparing the suggested projects for procurement and implimentation.

This report is the first of two planned on ongoing ADB work in Myanmar. [ADB Press Release] [Publication: Scoping Off-Grid Renewable Energy Opportunities in Myanmar]