New report points to a maturing off-grid solar market that could power up to 398 million more people by 2030, helping close the gap for the 655 million still without electricity
Kigali, Rwanda, 27 October 2026 – Off-grid solar is reaching more people than ever and increasingly powering more livelihoods, businesses, and essential services. According to the Off-Grid Solar Market Trends Report 2026, released today by the World Bank Group’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and GOGLA, the global off-grid solar association, at the Global Off-Grid Solar Forum and Expo in Kigali, the number of people using solar home systems, water pumps, generators, lanterns and other off-grid solar products rose by 26% over the past two years, from 118 million to 149 million*.
The report finds that off-grid solar remains the least-cost solution for at least 398 million people without access to electricity and a strong complement to the grid, often serving communities beyond its reach. Reaching those populations by 2030 will require sustained public and private investment, supported by policies that improve affordability and expand access to financing.
Long considered a bridge to the grid, off-grid solar is now recognized as infrastructure. As energy prices rise, off-grid solar offers a secure, resilient and affordable source of power for households, farms, schools, health facilities, and small businesses, while complementing investments in grid expansion and mini-grids.
The report also highlights the durability and maturity of the sector. Among surveyed customers, 95% reported that their solar home systems remained functional four or more years after purchase, underscoring the technology’s ability to deliver sustained energy access.
- Off-grid solar has proven it can deliver at scale, through shocks, and in places the grid has not reached. It now irrigates farms, keeps clinics open, and powers the businesses that hold rural economies together: these are the functions of economic infrastructure. Yet financing has not kept pace with what off-grid solar is being asked to do. Until governments, investors and development partners treat it as the infrastructure it has become, hundreds of millions of people will wait longer than they should for power.Sarah MalmExecutive Director, GOGLA
The findings come as countries advance Mission 300, the World Bank Group and African Development Bank initiative to connect 300 million people to electricity across sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. Distributed renewable energy, including off-grid solar, is expected to play a significant role in achieving that goal. Already, 80% of the 35 National Energy Compacts developed under Mission 300 include distributed renewable energy in their connection targets. Now, governments and development partners are turning these commitments into action, with public funding designed to crowd in private investment. World Bank Group commitments to off-grid solar, the largest source of public funding, reached USD 974 million in FY25–26, matching the level in FY23–24.
read more: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2026/10/27/off-grid-solar-energy-access-jobs-growth
