Business model innovation will drive Renewable Energy adoption in Off-Grid, Micro-Grid and Mini-Grid Markets

Why is energy such a big issue? Because current grid models don't solve the core challenges.

Because it has billions of people who are not even connected to the grid or causes hundreds of billions of dollars to every large economy and energy security is a real challenge. Then the obvious impact on the environment is a real burning issue with fossil fuels. According to the World Bank World Bank: 1.6 Billion People Still Lack Access to Electricity Today

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTENERGY/0,,contentMDK:21056447~menuPK:162686~pagePK:210083~piPK:152538~theSitePK:336806,00.html

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/feb2008/id20080211_334519.htm?chan=innovation_innovation+%2B+design_green+design

http://www.worldbank.org/re

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTENERGY/EXTRETOOLKIT/0,,menuPK:1040440~pagePK:64168427~piPK:64168435~theSitePK:1040428,00.html

So Renewable energy has the potential for real socio-economic change that addresses the basic fundamentals of;

* Accessibility
* Availability
* Affordability
* Sustainability
* Scalability

So where are the markets? Asia, South America, Africa as emerging economies and at the BOP and also the advanced economies in the Europe and North America which have great potential to supplement billions and billions of dollars with renewable energy technologies, starting now. But what is the real challenge and what will drive fast adoption? The factors listed above.

It is not really the technologies alone, but really the business models. Current business models of grid markets will not make it and thus the micro, mini and off Grid markets will require business models that have not been applied before in whole all together, but in bits and pieces.

I know of some real interesting startups out there on stealth mode and working on something that looks promising from this perspective and will keep you updated. It is the business models that will connect these markets that integrate the energy, consumers, producers, capital and the ROI all in one will be what will make a real difference. That is just around the corner!