From electricity grid to broadband Internet: Sustainable and innovative power solutions for rural connectivity

Access to electricity is key to closing the digital divide in rural areas and developing an information society for all. The availability of reliable and affordable electricity remains a major impediment, especially in the world’s least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS), and particularly in rural and remote areas. Access to electricity and broadband connectivity, including services and applications based on information and communication technologies (ICTs), plays an important enabling role in efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) and connect the 2.7 billion people around the world currently without access to the Internet. This report examines the challenges of providing access to electricity, which is vital to connecting rural areas to the Internet.