Soluz, Inc. provides advisory services to international institutions assisting efforts that advance the global transition to sustainable energy, especially to increase access to energy. Clients include the public sector, including multilateral development banks (the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank), as well as NGOs and private sector companies engaging in the global transition to sustainable energy.
Over two decades, Soluz has had many assignments to advance the use of solar PV for rural electrification in developing countries around the globe. Soluz has provided a range of consulting services including program feasibility/design and rural energy enterprise development. Some examples are listed below.
In recent years attention to climate change and the UN Sustainable Energy for All initiative have led to greater efforts to scale up renewable energy and to address energy access. Soluz has been engaged to assist with various dimensions of this effort, as listed below.
A sample of assignments
In recent years Soluz, Inc. has been advising clients on efforts to expand energy access in the Latin American and Caribbean Region. Assignments have been as follows:
GUATEMALA and COLOMBIA
In 2018 and 2019 Soluz was contracted by Navigant Consulting to form part of a consulting team to perform due diligence for the InterAmerican Development Bank related to a potential investment in private sector off-grid solar operations in Guatemala and Colombia. Field analysis was performed in remote areas not served by the electrical grids to understand the market potential for stand-alone solar photovoltaic systems.
CENTRAL AMERICA
In 2019 Soluz was contracted by the consulting firm, PELICAN, S.A. under a contract with HIVOS a Dutch NGO, on a project to prepare a roadmap to achieve universal access to energy in the Central American Region. The effort is done for SICA (Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana). Under this contract Soluz assisted with a workshop on energy access held in Guatemala in June 2019.
Haiti
In 2014-2017 Soluz was contracted by Navigant Consulting as part of the team assigned to develop sustainable electrification plans for Haiti under funding from the InterAmerican Development Bank. The project evaluated a range of sustainable energy options for Haiti to expand access to electricity and increase renewable energy in the mix. Soluz, Inc. was responsible for evaluation pilot micro-grid projects and following up to assist the effort to determine the potential for expansion.
Nicaragua
In 2015-2016 Soluz was contracted by PELICAN, S.A. to assist with the Scaling Renewable Energy Program (SREP) planning under InterAmerican Development Bank funding for off-grid electrification with stand-alone PV and solar PV minigrids in Nicaragua. The consultancy has included stakeholder consultations and project planning.
Climate Investment Funds/SREP Evaluation: In 2013 Soluz was contracted by ICF International to assist with the World Bank-administered evaluation of the Climate Investment Funds, specifically SREP. This assignment included consultations with stakeholders in Ethiopia and Nepal.
ETHIOPIA
In 2013 Soluz performed an evaluation of SREP in Ethiopia.
Nepal
In 2013 Soluz performed an evaluation of SREP in Nepal.
Energy Access Foundation, Inc. (EAF) is an organization that stemmed from a collaboration between Soluz and other leading entities in energy access. Soluz’s involvement with the formation of EAF, and subsequent management of the organization, has provided an opportunity to support charitable efforts to increase energy access worldwide. A number of activities have been completed to advance innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as solar for education. One ongoing program is a cross-border effort to advance energy access across the island of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti).
Early Assignments 1996 to 2006.
A number of rural energy enterprise development activities in which Soluz has provided consulting have stood the test of time.
SELCO India: One pioneering enterprise that Soluz assisted to help it launch and flourish was SELCO India. SELCO India was founded in 1995 by Dr. Harish Hande, who first visited Soluz’s pioneering rural energy enterprise in the Dominican Republic as a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts. Numerous collaborations assisted in the development of SELCO India, which has since installed hundreds of thousands of PV systems.
Global Energy Access Study: Soluz, Inc. partnered with Navigant Consulting and SELCO India to lead a groundbreaking multi-client study titled “Innovation in Rural Energy Delivery: Accelerating Energy Access through SMEs”. This study, completed in 2006, reviewed global experiences with PV electrification activities and provided guidance for accelerating progress.
See links below to read documentWorld Bank Group
Global
Soluz, Inc. advised the World Bank Group, both the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), in early efforts to advance the use of solar PV for rural electrification.
Early Best Practices: As several professionals at the World Bank were just starting to develop the use of PV for rural electrification in World Bank projects, Soluz assisted them with a milestone study: “Best Practices for Photovoltaic Household Electrification Programs”, published by the World Bank in 1996.
Solar Development Group: From 1999 to 2004 Soluz assisted the World Bank and the IFC with managing a multi-year solar business development effort that consisted of a business support unit (the Solar Development Foundation) and an investment fund (Solar Development Capital).
ASIA
Bangladesh
In 1996 Soluz was contracted by the IFC to assist the Grameen Bank with business planning for the launch of a solar subsidiary, Grameen Shakti. The assignment resulted in a business plan that attracted a $750,000 loan from the IFC for the launch of Grameen Shakti. The business plan incorporated small PV systems combined with micro loans for customers, a business model originally developed by Soluz’s Richard Hansen in Latin America. Grameen Shakti has supplied over one million PV systems.
Philippines
In 2003 Soluz assisted with the Sustainable Solar Market Package (SSMP), a World Bank-funded solar PV electrification project in the Philippines. Soluz worked with local companies to help them prepare business plans to be submitted to the project.
Latin America
From 1996 to 2006 Soluz assisted the World Bank with the development of early groundbreaking PV electrification projects in:
Argentina
Assisted the development of an early fee-for-service concession model under the Renewable Energy for Rural Markets project (PERMER)
Bolivia
Assisted the Decentralized Infrastructure for Rural Transformation (IDTR) Program
Nicaragua
Assisted the Off-Grid Rural electrification Project (PERZA)