Sustainable Development and Off-grid Renewable Electricity: Current Status and Challenges

The inclusion of Goal 7 (universal access to affordable and sustainable energy) within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is suggestive of the fact that energy is at the heart of sustainable development. In achieving this goal, off-grid renewable electricity (OGRE) plays a very critical role, especially within ecological limits. In recent times, OGRE has become a mainstream energy solution, developing exponentially across the globe. Notwithstanding this expansion, its development faces some barriers, particularly in developing and emerging countries. This chapter examines the current status of OGRE and its challenges as they affect sustainable development, utilising a descriptive cum systematic approach. The findings reveal that both legal and economic barriers hamper OGRE’s development, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, a lack of infrastructure and market conditions provides an extra burden on developing and emerging economies to overcome. It is therefore essential to deploy both legal and economic strategies and solutions to overcome the challenges associated with the development of OGRE in order to enhance sustainable development.