Hybrid Social Solutions
To eliminate rural Energy Poverty, HSSI is building a nationwide Gridless Solar Electricity Network in the Philippines. Their Solar Hubs organize mission-oriented stakeholders into sustainable Last-Mile Value Chains that already reach 4,000 remote towns, providing marketing, financing, distribution, installation, training, and servicing for their products.
Appropriate Technology:
HSSI works with leading technology partners (e.g., Greenlight Planet, Omnivoltaic, and Biolite) focused on the off-grid market and have assembled a range of best in-class solar products designed for various rural use cases and segments. Their initial focus has been on household products (e.g., solar home systems, electronics charging, and small appliances). They are currently piloting technologies (e.g., ICT/multi-media, pumps, generators, cooling, processing) for additional customer segments and use cases (i.e., for use by schools, health stations, small offices, farmers, fishermen, etc.).
Last-Mile Value Chains:
HSSI’s solar products are distributed through sustainable Last-Mile Value Chains that reach even the most remote villages. These LMVCs enable end users in rural villages to attend product demos, secure financing, arrange for delivery and installation, attend training sessions, and access customer service. The LMVCs can be market-based (e.g., their flagship LMVC with microfinance institutions targeting households) or philanthropy-based (e.g., their LMVC targeting schools with NGOs such as their affiliate Solar Village Foundation, a member of the Stiftung Solarenergie Network). LMVCs are designed to be sustainable for all LMVC participants, ensuring that they are self-perpetuating.
Sustainable Solar Hubs: The LMVCs are activated and nurtured by Hybrid’s Solar Hubs, which stock and supply solar products, and also provide local leadership, partner support, and customer training and service. Once the LMVCs are sustainable, the Solar Hubs inter-connect and replicate them over time, resulting in Barangay and Provincial Solar Networks that enable increasing numbers of people to access solar products for a range of use cases.
Replicable Partnerships/Programs:
By aligning on poverty-alleviation objectives and designing effective win-win Solar Access Programs, HSSI is able to partner with likeminded developmental organizations (such as microfinance institutions, multi-purpose cooperatives, and NGOs) which operate thousands of branches or projects nationwide. Once initial pilots show positive impact results, their Solar Hub teams work with partners to quickly roll out their programs to their branches province-wide
