Utilities in developing countries are juggling a complex set of problems: How to extend electricity to those who don’t have it; how to deploy large-scale power generation to power economic growth; and how to pursue these goals while decarbonizing. 

In this episode, guest host Lara Pierpoint talks to Kate Steel, CEO of Nithio, a finance company focused on off-grid clean energy in Africa. Kate and Lara discuss the options for separating economic growth from fossil fuels. And she argues that we have the technology to develop low-carbon electrified economies in developing economies; we just need to deploy it.

Lara and Kate weigh in on: 

• The tension between expanding access to low-cost power and attracting investment in large-scale baseload generation
• Why off-grid solar is often more economically viable than diesel generators for rural electrification
• How canceled power purchase agreements have stymied the development of renewables and how to solve these financing challenges 
• “Reverse” tech transfer from developing countries to developed ones, such as hyper-efficient appliances 
• Options for off-grid power, such as lanterns, microgrids, microhydro, biogas and liquefied petroleum gas canisters.
• How transportation may leapfrog fossil fuels in developing countries with electric motorbikes, buses and cars

Recommended Resources:

• Canary Media: COP26 players pledge funding to shut down coal plants
• Bloomberg: A New Era of Climate Disasters Revives Calls for Climate Reparations
• Canary Media: Expanding solar access in Africa through artificial intelligence
• Columbia University’s Center on Sustainable Investment: Roadmap to Zero-Carbon Electrification of Africa



Catalyst is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.

Catalyst is supported by Scale Microgrid Solutions, your comprehensive source for all distributed energy financing. Distributed generation can be complex. Scale makes financing it easy. Visit scalecapitalsolutions.com to learn more.

Catalyst is supported by CohnReznick, a trusted partner for navigating the complex and evolving financial, tax and regulatory landscape of the renewable sector. Visit cohnreznick.com to learn more.