20 September 2012: The World Bank and the Government of the Netherlands have provided support to a program aimed at bringing portable solar power to Mongolia’s nomadic herders. The project seeks to allow the herders to improve their livelihoods, for example by connecting to markets for their products and tuning in for weather reports.

The “Renewable Energy and Rural Electricity Access” (REAP) project was funded by a US$3.5 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA), a US$3.5 million grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and a US$6.0 million grant from the Netherland’s Government. REAP supported Mongolia’s National 100,000 Solar Ger Electrification Program, which provided subsidized, portable solar home systems to herders.

Through the project, fifty privately owned solar home system sales and service centers – partnered with a public network of village administrators – were established throughout Mongolia. In addition to supplying affordable electricity to the herders, the program also intends to help the Mongolian Government to achieve its goal of rural electrification by 2020.

To date, the program has supplied 100,146 solar home systems, and the demand for electricity is increasing. The project was implemented between 2008 and 2012 with implementation support provided by the Asia Sustainable and Alternative Energy Program (ASTAE). [World Bank Feature Story]