BPP Partnership Impact Series: Accelerating access to renewable energy and jobs for remote Papua New Guinea communities
Since its launch, the Business Partnerships Platform (BPP) has worked with ambitious partners to deliver meaningful, lasting change in communities across the world. The BPP Partnership Impact Series celebrates the outcomes and lessons from our partnerships, highlighting their contributions to inclusive economic growth, resilience and sustainable development.
Our Off-Grid Renewable Energy partnerships across the Pacific and Timor-Leste focused on sustainable, locally-led solutions that expand energy access for remote and rural communities, while delivering tangible social and economic benefits. They are pilots for REnew Pacific, the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific’s (AIFFP) $75 million investment to scale off-grid renewable energy across the region. This partnership combined a pay-to-own solar model with a low-barrier solar loan solution, to help households access reliable, affordable energy in remote and rural communities across Papua New Guinea, while also creating local employment opportunities.
Accelerating access to renewable energy and jobs for remote Papua New Guinea communities
The partnership between Sola PayGo Ltd, MiBank and the Australian Government, through the Business Partnerships Platform (BPP), is expanding access to affordable renewable energy across remote and rural communities in Papua New Guinea.
By combining Sola PayGo Ltd’s pay-to-own solar model with a low-barrier solar loan solution delivered through MiBank, the project is addressing key barriers to energy access which includes affordability, remoteness and limited after-sales support.
Supported by local agents and community-based technical training, this approach is helping bring reliable solar power to communities at scale.
Originally targeting 3,000 households, the partnership has reached more than 7,100 households across Papua New Guinea, incredibly more than doubling its initial goal. For many families, this is the first time they have had access to reliable lighting, phone charging and quality-certified solar products.
The project demonstrates how distributed solar, combined with finance, training and strong local partnerships, can improve energy access while supporting livelihoods, financial inclusion and local service delivery.
Key highlights
Highlights from the BPP partnership included:
- 7,127 households reached with solar home systems, more than double the original target of 3,000 households
- More than 52,000 people benefiting from improved energy access, including an estimated 22,000 women and 27,000 children
- Average customer savings of PGK65 per week from reduced energy costs
- 36% of customers reported increased income earning opportunities from using their solar home system
- Customers gained an average of 35 additional usable hours per week, including 11 extra hours for study activity
- 100% of surveyed customers reported improved quality of life.
Delivery snapshot
- A pay-to-own solar home system and Solar Loan Solution model delivered in partnership with Sola PayGo and MiBank, expanded across five provinces in Papua New Guinea
- Local agent network expanded and strengthened, enabling more on-ground support and sales capacity
- A Community Technical Training program introduced with local educators, Impact, to deliver technical and financial literacy training
Reliable solar energy is transforming daily life across remote communities. Households now have consistent access to lighting, phone charging and basic power, supporting education, small businesses and improved wellbeing. Community outreach and roadshows have also extended the project’s reach, engaging more than 33,000 people over 17 months.
The project has also delivered strong inclusive outcomes.
- Many participating households include people requiring support with disability or chronic illness, and tailored approaches have helped improve access for women.
- More than half of agents facilitating solar loans were women, while nearly half of loan customers were women.
- Women-led and community-based training has played a key role in making the technology accessible.
- Across communities, women and children are the primary users of solar systems, further highlighting the importance of inclusive access.
The project has helped strengthen a sustainable and scalable model for delivery. The Solar Loan Solution has expanded from two to five MiBank branches and will continue beyond the life of the project, integrated into both organisations’ operations. Community Technical Training is also being embedded into ongoing service delivery, supporting long-term customer use and system performance.
View the full partnership impact story below or download here.
