The Mini-Grid Business
Welcome to "The Mini-Grid Business," hosted by Nico Peterschmidt, CEO of the consultancy company INENSUS. With nearly two decades of experience working with over 100 mini-grid companies across Africa and Asia, INENSUS created a podcast, which becomes your gateway to the world of rural electrification through mini-grids.
In each episode, Nico and his guests – seasoned experts who have navigated the complexities of the mini-grid sector – offer candid insights based on real-life experiences. Whether they're individuals who have overcome significant challenges, policy makers shaping the sector’s frameworks and funding structures, or visionaries crafting the future of mini-grids, they all have unique perspectives to share.
From exploring successful pathways to profitability, to dissecting the reasons behind a company's struggles, "The Mini-Grid Business" delves deep into both theory and practice. It questions the accepted status quo of the mini-grid sector, aiming to unearth new perspectives or expose misunderstandings that need addressing.
This is a space for thought-provoking discussions, innovative ideas, and invaluable knowledge exchange.
Whether you are an industry veteran, a newcomer, or simply curious about the transformative potential of mini-grids, this podcast invites you to challenge your thinking, learn from others, and engage with a community that’s shaping a brighter, more sustainable future.
So, tune in, and enjoy "The Mini-Grid Business"!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inensus-gmbh/mycompany/
Twitter: INENSUS (@INENSUSgmbh) / X (twitter.com)
Visit www.inensus.com for more info.
Episodes
42 episodes
The CEESOLAR Story
What if electricity didn’t stop at lighting a room but kick-started a local economy? We head to Nigeria to unpack CEESOLAR’s journey from a bold 2017 idea to a working blueprint for mini-grids that power livelihoods—milling grain, cooling goods...
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Season 1
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Episode 38
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37:37
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Cold Chains powered by Minigrids
Bas Hetterscheid from Wageningen University and Nico discuss Cold Chains in Africa and the role minigrids can play in their development. The growing urban middle class in many African countries is demanding more fresh products, whic...
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Season 1
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Episode 39
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40:06
Mini-grid company valuation in equity transactions
Unlock the hidden complexities of mini-grid company valuation with the brilliant minds of Brian Lukera Wambani from Camco and Michael Feldner from the GET.invest Finance Catalyst. This episode promises to equip you with the nuanced understandin...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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42:31
Boosting managerial capacities - The AMAP 2.0 opportunity
In this episode, Benjamin Curnier from AfDB’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) breaks down AMAP 2.0—what it is, who it’s designed for, and how it works. If you’re a minigrid company looking to tap into technical assistance fundi...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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25:59
State of the Sector: Nico at INENSUS’ 20th Anniversary
Join us for a special episode featuring Nico’s State of the Sector address, delivered in Nairobi during INENSUS’ 20th anniversary celebration in September 2025. In this keynote, Nico reflects on two decades of impact, explores today’s ...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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15:48
Bridge Financing Minigrid Construction
Results-Based Financing (RBF) is now the go-to model for mini-grid subsidy disbursement—but there’s a catch: the money only comes after the connections are in place. That means developers have to front the $400–800 per connection cost ...
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Season 1
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Episode 36
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57:54
Containers vs. pre-fab vs. constructed power houses
What's the best way to house a mini-grid system in remote areas? Should developers opt for the plug-and-play convenience of containerized solutions, the flexible modularity of prefabricated structures, or the permanence of traditional powerhous...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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1:01:50
Mergers and acquisitions as a path to financial sustainability of mini-grids
Minigrids need scale to become profitable — and mergers & acquisitions (M&A) can be a powerful way to get there fast. But what does it really take to acquire or merge with another mini-grid company? How do you structure a deal that work...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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1:03:13
INENSUS' 2025 Mini-Grid Market Outlook
Join Kellie, Diego, and Nico from INENSUS' management as they peer into the future of the mini-grid sector for 2025 and beyond. If you're still shaping your strategy for the year, this episode could offer valuable insights to guide your plannin...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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54:38
DC Mesh Grids
In recent years, DC mesh grids have gained recognition as a cost-effective and safe low-voltage solution for rural electrification, particularly for residential customers and small shops with power needs below 3-5 kW. In this episode, host Nico...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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58:06
How minigrids can help solve the migration crisis
Migration remains a pressing issue in Europe and the United States, often spurred by conflict but increasingly influenced by climate change as a root cause. In this episode, Nico Peterschmidt and Jakob Schmidt-Reindahl from INENSUS explore how ...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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50:50
The cooperative movement
Community-owned electric cooperatives transformed rural electrification in the USA, raising access from 10% to 90% in just 15 years starting in the late 1930s. This successful model has since been replicated in regions like South America and co...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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57:28
Impact and reach - Is it time for a paradigm shift in minigrid financing?
Minigrid scale-up efforts are currently falling short of meeting SDG 7 targets, particularly in Africa, where private minigrid companies must evolve and professionalize to achieve sustainable growth. With limited capital available for building ...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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58:21
Project finance for mini-grids
Project finance has been instrumental in scaling large, grid-connected renewable energy projects, with well-established approaches that have facilitated trillions of dollars in lending to the sector. The result has been access to low-interest, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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51:47
Mini-grid funder ratings
Mini-Grid CEOs have long voiced concerns over the inconsistent and overly complicated funding methodologies that vary significantly across different funders and countries, leading to prolonged delays in electrification efforts. Similar frustrat...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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49:08
Interconnected Mini-Grids: Opportunities and Challenges
Interconnected Mini-Grids provide reliable electricity to underserved main-grid connected customers.They are a new phenomenon in the mini-grid space and beyond that provide profitable investment opportunities to mini-grid companies thanks t...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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49:42
Rural Industrialization with mini-grids
In this flagship episode, we uncover the transformative power of Rural Industrialization through mini-grids with insights from industry leaders Peter Nyeko of Mandulis Energy (Uganda), Camille André-Bataille of Anka (Madagascar), and Oluwatobi ...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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1:38:41
Podcasters - "The Mini-Grid Business" meets "The Energy Talk" - PART 2
This is part 2 of the meeting between Olu from "The Energy Talk" and Nico from "The Mini-Grid Business". In this session, we delve into the complexities, breakthroughs and innovations within the mini-grid industry based on Olu’s extensive knowl...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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15:59
Podcasters - "The Mini-Grid Business" meets "The Energy Talk" - PART 1
As a podcaster, you meet people and gain a good overview of what the sector is all about. Therefore, it is sometimes enlightening to talk to fellow podcasters and get their view on the sector. That is exactly what Olubunmi Olajide from the podc...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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31:27
Mini-grid consultancy - beneficial or harmful?
Mini-grid consultants support the establishment of regulation or grant funding programs for the sector, advise on transactions or conduct due diligences. However, recent years have seen growing tensions between consultants and mini-grid compani...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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1:02:29
The Mini-Grid Due Diligence One-Stop-Shop
Mini-Grid Due Diligences are always complex and costly? - Wrong!The Mini-Grid Due Diligence One-Stop-Shop established by INENSUS, DETAIL Solicitors and Steinbeis Consulting Impact Investing reduces complexities by providing one contact ...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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27:03
Productive for whom? - balancing energy productivity and community productivity
In this episode, Aaron Leopold and Edwin Kwesiga from EnerGrow discuss the impact of introducing productive electricity in rural areas. The conversation covers the challenges and strategies of providing asset financing in rural small businesses...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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53:27
The mini-grid and solar home system multi-technology approach – a way towards more finance for the sector?
Learn from Lynne Wesonga of Crossboundary Access and Gillian-Alexandre Huart from ENGIE Energy Access about the untapped potential of integrating mini-grids, solar home systems and other power supply technologies under one unified management an...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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56:09
I-RECs, P-RECs, D-RECs, R-RECs - revenue opportunities for mini-grid companies
Explore with us Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), a potentially lucrative revenue stream for operators of renewable mini-grids. We delve into the various forms of RECs, including I-RECs, P-RECs, D-RECs, and R-RECs, breaking down their chara...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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59:01
Mini-grid financial modeling
Embark on a journey to the heart of Africa's energy business, where the intricate dance of numbers in financial modeling for mini-grids is demystified. This episode brings the expertise of Kellie Murungi and Diego Perez to the table, guiding li...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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1:11:26