Why we developed Edison
We believe use of data can transform the speed, efficiency and effectiveness of electrification programs in low income and emerging countries, providing vital services to people in off-grid locations and supporting rapid attainment of universal access to modern energy.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
– Sustainable Development Goal 7
Edison's story
As part of REEEP’s mission to build up self-sustaining markets in developing countries, the REEEP data team was looking for a meaningful way to verify the ongoing presence of electricity services in off-grid rural and peri-urban locations. As simply tracking the sales of Solar Home System equipment or initial contracts for connection to a mini-grid does not necessarily mean a household will still benefit from electricity a year or two down the line, a long-term solution was required. Modern business practices and use of technology by energy service providers allow for automated collection of data that can be used as a proxy, allowing independent verification of numbers of connections.
REEEP devised a new platform to collect, analyse and use this data for the Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia, an ongoing results based financing programme for off-grid electrification funded by Sida and designed and implemented by REEEP. The initial pilot programme in Zambia has so far supplied more than 180,000 connections to Zambians lacking reliable access to power.
A generous grant from Sida in 2020 enabled REEEP to further develop Edison to work in partnership with other organisations in the off-grid space, on a not-for-profit basis.
Our data mission
Edison harnesses the power of data and sophisticated analytics to build sustainable markets for renewable energy and energy efficient solutions; advance energy access, improve lives and economic opportunities; and reduce climate and environmental damage.
Edison's development and implementation
Edison is developed and implemented by the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), a multilateral non-profit partnership based in Vienna with a mandate to accelerate markets for renewable energy and energy efficiency in low income and emerging countries.
We hold to these principles
- Use market intelligence for public good, serving the needs of the population
- Develop with the off-grid sector, for public benefit: engagement with stakeholders including industry groups, open data advocates and SDG 7 reporting agencies
- Shape the energy development sector’s collection and use of data to promote a cultural shift towards strong evidence-based decision-making
Our data and analytics team
REEEP's data and analytics team brings a wide variety of skills and experience to Edison: data science, software engineering, communication, stakeholder engagement, semantic technologies and innovation leadership. The team works within the broader REEEP Secretariat; a diverse, gender-balanced, international group of clean energy professionals.
