POTHOLES, TURN-OFFS AND HUMPS AT THE END OF THE AFRICAN NATURAL COMMERCIAL PV ROAD: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES FOR AFRICAN VILLAGE DEALERS IN SIMPLE SOLAR PRODUCTS AND PRACTICAL WAYS OF HELPING THEM TO FACE THESE

摘要

As the potential market for PV in Africa is enormous, the PV market in Africa can be boosted frombelow, by taking the village dealers more seriously and giving them hands-on practical support (without becomingpart of the chain itself), especially if this is done with a quality/service thrust, good capacity building in technical,marketing and business management. This can shake up the chain from below. The Free Energy Foundation hasmade this happen. Its effectiveness is however also constrained by the logistical and cash flow stress in the wholechain and the unequal (and detrimental) competition of dump products and short-term subsidy schemes. Furtherprogress is constrained by three issues: (1) the links between the dealers and the distributors, (2) the marketsegementation, and (3) the dealers’cash flow growth.