1 million small domestic solar systems in Bangladesh - in areas with no grid service.
This is the way to get both economic and environmentally valuable services into areas that may never, ever get grid access to centrally generated power.
Bangladesh Hits One Million Solar Home Systems - Compass
Of course they go on to point out that you need a strong rural/small loan banking sector to make this work. But there are enough places in the world where this is true that they should just get on with it - then work out how to extend further.The Bangladesh story is particularly exciting because Grameen has singlehandedly shattered the energy 'axioms' on which the international policy community has relied for decades: "Renewable energy is too expensive." Wrong! "Even if solar makes sense, the poor can't afford it or they won't pay." Wrong. "The grid will come regardless so off-grid, decentralized energy is a waste of time, money, and effort." Wrong, wrong, wrong. What Bangladesh does prove is that Carl Pope is right: deploying solar makes the most sense for off-grid areas where the economics are compelling and the need is great.
That's what makes the next phase of the solar revolution even more exciting. Today we are talking about 1 million solar home systems in Bihar, but tomorrow we could easily be talking about tens of millions in either Bihar or Uttar Pradesh, Indian states that have off-grid populations larger than most European nations.