Blockchain has emerged as an increasingly important tool for facilitating, storing, and validating transactions in the energy access sector.
Authored by Ashay Abbhi and Prachi Seth, Country Specialists for the Energy Catalyst programme, the new report Blockchain for Energy Access examines how blockchain has unlocked a new opportunity for energy entrepreneurs to develop business models facilitated by the technology, for example peer-to-peer energy trading or financing solar power projects.
So how exactly can the energy access sector benefit from blockchain? As the share of distributed renewable energy increases in developing nations increases, blockchain offers energy trading and project development platforms that allow seamless alternatives to grid-based power. Blockchain‘s ability to verify and validate energy generated as well as energy consumed also makes it secure against any spurious attacks. Moreover, no duplication across the network allows better grid management and energy distribution. Blockchain solutions are also spread across the energy value chain, from generation to distribution and trading to payments. The advent of smart contracts makes execution of energy trading and distribution automated, leading to higher operational efficiencies. Meanwhile, blockchain is also being deployed for incentivising renewable energy generation, grid management, and other such critical operations.
With comprehensive technical analysis, platform case studies and business process breakdowns, the report provides direction to energy entrepreneurs on how they can leverage blockchain to generate revenue, optimise costs, and create sustainable impact. It uses real-world examples to explore the application dynamics of blockchain within the energy access space along with key associated advantages and challenges, offering top-level market insights into the energy segments where blockchain application is most favourable.