September 2013: The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the World Bank Group and the UN Foundation announced an agreement to allow developing countries affordable access to technical documents supporting rural electrification.

The documents belong to IEC’s Technical Specification 62257 series on “recommendations for small renewable energy and hybrid systems for rural electrification,” which outlines best practices for a range of energy access technologies in developing countries. It is expected that the use of internationally recognized technical specifications will allow more countries to secure sustainable investments in energy infrastructure. Their use will also improve the interoperability, a key to expansion of regional energy markets, and safety of energy products. The deal will allow price discounts of 50-75% on the technical documentation. [Lighting Africa press release] [IEC press release]