Efficiency for Agricultural Technologies: An Expert Conversation on Latest Findings, Remaining Gaps and Future Outlook

The Clean Energy Solutions Center, in partnership with Efficiency for Access Coalition, hosted this webinar on the latest research observations about off-grid-appropriate agricultural appliances and equipment. Participants discussed ways that remaining gaps can be assessed and leveraged for successful commercial viability. This webinar was part of the Efficiency for Access Coalition’s Efficiency for Agricultural Technologies communications campaign.

The webinar was structured as an expert roundtable discussion, and the conversation was anchored around several upcoming research outputs led by various members and partners of the Efficiency for Access Coalition, including the following:

• An upcoming report, Market Analysis: Solar Water Pumps for the Tanzanian Horticulture Sector, that surfaces information about the solar water pump sector, including farmer segments and use cases, impacts, distribution models and financing across three regions in Tanzania
• An assessment of the baseline survey results of the Global LEAP Off-Grid Cold Chain Challenge and transitioning to Stage 2 of placing remote monitors in installations
• An upcoming report on the impacts of solar water pumps using Lean Data project data
• The newly developed solar water pump technology road map under the Low Energy Inclusive Appliances (LEIA) Programme.
• Findings from a recent literature review of agricultural mills led by Energy 4 Impact.

Panelists reacted to findings and compared notes across these research projects and pulled out complementary threads for collective next steps, including informing future research projects. They also sketched out a pathway forward for scaling pilots and commercial viability of agricultural technologies beyond solar water pumps.

The webinar presentations were be followed by an interactive question and answer session with the audience.