This webinar showcased how efforts in India and sub-Saharan Africa are harnessing renewable energy, in particular solar power, to ensure health facilities have access to clean and reliable electricity. The session covered insights from the recently released report, “A Spoonful of Solar to Help the Medicine Go Down: Exploring Synergies Between Health Care and Energy,” as well as from WRI Africa’s Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) initiative.

1. PHOTO: AKSHAY INGLE
HEALTH FACILITY ELECTRIFICATION:
STATE OF PLAY

2. LINKAGES BETWEEN ELECTRICITY AND HEALTH
Diagnostics, procedures, treatment
Ventilation, sterilization
Lighting, cooling, heating
Learning and training
Water and sanitation
Storing vaccines
Creating conducive environment for staff

3. BUILDING KNOWLEDGE AND EVIDENCE
FOR ENERGY ACCESS PLANNING
https://www.wri.org/research/gis-assessment-electricity-health-care-uganda
https://www.wri.org/research/integrating-electricity-priorities
https://wri-india.org/publication/spoonful-solar-help-medicine-go-down
Using data to build evidence and guide better
decision-making
Overcoming policy barriers for the health
sector’s adoption of clean energy
Right-sizing technological solutions
Building capacity of stakeholders to participate
effectively in a clean energy transition
Identifying and addressing financing gaps

4. In Zambia, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy have used EAE to develop the Powering Healthcare
Action Plan
In Uganda, EAE is being used by the Ministry of Health and MEMD and partners to comprehensively map out all healthcare facilities
BUILDING KNOWLEDGE AND EVIDENCE
FOR ENERGY ACCESS PLANNING
Using data to build evidence and guide better
decision-making
Overcoming policy barriers for the health
sector’s adoption of clean energy
Right-sizing technological solutions
Building capacity of stakeholders to participate
effectively in a clean energy transition
Identifying and addressing financing gaps

5. STATE OF PLAY
WHO, World Bank, IRENA and SEforALL. 2023. Energizing health: accelerating electricity access in health-care facilities
SEforALL. 2023. Health Facility Electrification Capital Landscape
• 1 billion people access health facilities without
electricity or with unreliable electricity
• Decentralized RE, mainly solar, being increasingly
considered by stakeholders for electrification in
rural and remote settings
• Investment need of USD 3.6 billion, across public
and private health facilities
• Health policies increasingly looking at budgeting
for electrification needs
• Energy efficiency should be prioritized
– Needs looking at standardization and procurement of
energy efficient medical applications
• Sustainability of energy systems (O&M)
– Refinancing of existing installed systems: budget
allocation towards maintenance and replacement

6. STATE OF PLAY
UNICEF. 2022. A brighter life for every child with sutainable energy.
• Evolving partnerships to scale:
– Health and Energy Platform for Action
(HEPA)
– Multilateral Health Compact for Health
Facility Electrification
– SELCO and IKEA Foundation partnering
with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
– Health Electrification and
Telecommunications Alliance (HETA)
– UNICEF Strengthening Immunization value
chain and WASH
• Different models for implementation and
financing

7. STATE OF PLAY – IMPLEMENTATION MODELS
https://www.wri.org/insights/decentralized-renewable-energy-hospitals-africa
SEforALL. 2023. Health Facility Electrification Capital Landscape
Shell Foundation Pilot Programme for Innovative Financing and Project Solutions for Health Electrification
• Asset Ownership
– Build, Operate and Transfer model – upfront capital cost and limited O&M budget factored in (1 – 5 years)
– Accountability and responsibility of Operations and Maintenance falls on health facility. Staff training and
capacity building, along with extensive engagement with developers becomes key
– Methods to de-risk seen in the example of CREDA (government funded service units in each region to monitor
energy system performance and conduct routine maintenance)
– Extension of CMC contracts beyond 5 years, use of low maintenance battery systems
• Energy-as-a-service model
– Developers install, operate and maintain the energy system for a longer time duration -> transfer of
maintenance and financing risk to private developers
– RESCO/ESCO models have needed grants or public budgets to reduce the energy cost that is paid over the
lifetime of the contract
• Lease-to-own model
– Payment of energy system cost over a defined time period and ownership transfers to the health facility
• Other variations such as pay as you go, fee for service, and perpetual lease contracts have also been
deployed.
• Uptake depends on developers ability to raise finance, role of grants, ability and timeliness of payments
to developers etc.

8. WHY THIS MATTERS?
Odarno, L. 2020. “Linking Electricity Access and Development Outcomes in Africa: A Framework for Action.” Working Paper. Washington, DC:
World Resources Institute.
Global Scale
Fostering ambition, sharing best
practices, and expanding
participation:
• Strengthening collaborations
• Cross-geography learning
Policy alignment & strengthening
institutional frameworks:
• Standardization of technologies
(solar PV, batteries and medical
appliances)
• Convergence of public budgets
• Interdepartmental coordination
Building knowledge and evidence at
the community level on:
• Energy needs assessment
• After-sales service
• Operations & Maintenance
• Procurement
National Scale Local Scale
Restructured
Finance

9. THANK YOU
Photo: Akshay Ingle

10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Resources used during the webinar:
• WRI’s implementation work in Kenya: https://www.wri.org/insights/decentralized-renewable-energy-hospitals-africa
• WRI’s implementation work in India in partnership with HSBC India and CHAI: https://wri-india.org/our-work/project/decarbonizing-
healthcare-improve-service-delivery-and-reduce-emissions-india
• WRI’s Energy Access Explorer: https://www.energyaccessexplorer.org/
• Use of GIS demand assessment in health facility electrification in Uganda: https://www.wri.org/research/gis-assessment-electricity-
health-care-uganda
• WRI India report on exploring synergies between health care and energy: https://wri-india.org/publication/spoonful-solar-help-
medicine-go-down
• Integrating Electricity Priorities into Healthcare policies in India: https://www.wri.org/research/integrating-electricity-priorities
Work by partners:
• WHO, World Bank, IRENA and SEforALL report on Energizing Health: https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/365657
• UNICEF’s work on sustainable energy solutions in healthcare and WASH:
https://www.unicef.org/media/127626/file/A%20brighter%20life%20for%20every%20child%20with%20sustainable%20energy.pdf
• Country level assessment by IRENA and SELCO Foundation - Enhancing Healthcare Delivery in Burkina Faso:
https://www.irena.org/Publications/2022/Oct/Electrification-with-renewables-Enhancing-healthcare-delivery-in-Burkina-Faso
• SEforALL’s research on health facility financing landscape: https://www.seforall.org/publications/health-facility-electrification-capital-
landscape
• Further financing research presented by Shell Foundation, Odyssey and partners:https://assets-global.website-
files.com/64215dde2dcacceaa70d7bd9/65d51a50cde417e2b1669b19_Pilot_Programme_for_Health_Electrification_Final.pdf

11. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Videos that showcase impact:
• Documentary version of the immersive film experience showcased at the 'Energy for Health' pavilion by SELCO Foundation in
partnership with WHO and support of IKEA Foundation at COP28 in Dubai: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfVb9Pgsd78
• Solarizing Hospitals in Climate Vulnerable Zones in Silchar, Assam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u71n0S6vK6M
• Basic HealthCare Services solarization efforts in health clinics in Remote Locations: AMRIT Clinic, Rawach, Rajasthan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wrIRGw7Pjw
Articles:
• Solar energy could power all health facilities in poorer countries and save lives (The Guardian)
• How decentralised solar energy can boost public healthcare (India Development Review)
Learn more on:
• Health and Energy Platform for Action (HEPA)
• Multilateral Health Compact for Health Facility Electrification
• SELCO and IKEA Foundation’s ‘Energy for Health’ initiative
• Health Electrification and Telecommunications Alliance (HETA)