Exploring the Barriers to Impact Investing in the Sustainable Energy Area in West Africa

This chapter delves into decentralised solutions for developing economies, focusing on energy access in off-grid communities. It presents the concept of “swarm electrification,” where surplus energy from individual solar home systems is networked to optimize distribution. Through case studies and modeling, the chapter examines influencing factors such as generation variability, storage, and local coordination mechanisms. It concludes that properly designed peer-to-peer sharing frameworks can significantly improve energy reliability and efficiency in underserved rural settings.