Scaling SE4ALL: A Case Study of EarthSpark's work in Rural Haiti
Tuesday, September 5, 2017 | 15:00 - 16:30
EarthSpark International's mission is to eradicate energy poverty. Our method: do the R&D on business models that can spin-off and scale. In order to reach SE4ALL goals by 2030, the world will need to build approximately 200,000 microgrids. Technologies exist, but de-risking the operational processes to build an investable model takes time. EarthSpark built its first microgrid in rural Haiti in 2012 and in 2015 expanded it to a town-sized pre-pay solar hybrid smart grid in Les Anglais, Haiti. 450 homes and businesses had 24/7 affordable clean energy in a town that had never before had electricity. To get to this point, EarthSpark had to build its own smart meter technology company (SparkMeter, Inc) and its own operations company (Enèji Pwòp), deal with electricity theft and survive a category 4 hurricane. EarthSpark continues to de-risk its model through 3 more grant-funded grids and is working on an investable model for the next 20, and ultimately 80.
Executive Director
EarthSpark International
Rachel McManus is a clean energy entrepreneur with a passion for improving energy access in Haiti. She is the Executive Director of EarthSpark International and the President of Enèji Pwòp S.A., a Haitian social enterprise that has benefited over 80,000 people to date through sales of solar lighting and clean cooking solutions. During her five years in Haiti, she oversaw the expansion of Enèji Pwòp, increasing sales of clean energy retail products by 400% in her first year. Currently she focuses on microgrid development; after successfully commissioning Haiti's first pre-pay, town-sized, solarized smart microgrid in June 2015, EarthSpark is preparing to roll out 80 grids by the end of 2022.
With a background in gender, conflict and international development, Rachel earned her BA (Hons) in International Studies and MSc in International Conflict from Kingston University in the United Kingdom. She speaks fluent Haitian Creole and is proficient in French. She is based in Washington, D.C.