Cornering 44% of the total global sales for 3.66 million off-grid solar products in the first half (H1) of 2018, India has emerged as the world’s largest cash market for such products, according to the latest report by Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA). Topping the polls in H1, India sold 1.3 million products with a market cash value of US$37 million, followed by Kenya, which sold 300,000 products worth $5 million. It may be noted that the 2018 Off-Grid Solar Market Trends only includes data on products sold by GOGLA members or companies that sell Lighting Global quality verified products. Based on previous analysis by Dalberg Advisors for the Off-Grid Solar Market Trends Report 2018, the GOGLA sales data represents around 30% of all global sales of small systems (<11 Wp) products and 60-80% of solar kits with over 11 Wp solar panels. Worldwide, the sale of off-grid solar products shot up by 4%, compared to the first half of 2017. Globally, cash products sold from January to June 2018 had a value of $108 million, while pay-as-you-go products reached a value of $110 million, the report added. According to the report, in H1 2018, 26.43 MW of off-grid solar capacity was installed globally, a 40% increase compared to the same period in 2017. Off-grid solar devices sold to date are estimated to have penetrated around 17% of the global potential market. The same period saw the sale of 395,000 solar home systems, 2.70 million solar lanterns and solar kits with multiple lights accounted for 560,000 units sold (15% of the world total), the report said. Established in 2012, GOGLA is a global association for the off-grid solar energy industry and represents over 135 companies and organisations within the solar lighting and home electrification industry. Every six months, GOGLA and The World Bank Group’s Lighting Global program publish the Global Off-Grid Solar Market Report.
India accounted for 44% of the total global sales of off-grid solar products in H1 2018, making it the world's largest market, according to a report by the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association. Of the 3.66 million off-grid solar sales in the period, 1.3 million took place in India at a total market value of $110 million, followed in second by 300,000 products sold in Kenya. The report demonstrates a market which has grown by 4% in sales since 2017, while the amount of off-grid solar capacity installed in H1 2018 was 40% above H1 2017 numbers.