An international competition that identifies the world's best, most energy-efficient off-grid appliances

High-quality, energy-efficient appliances are essential to the growth of off- and weak-grid energy markets. This is because hey create demand for off-grid energy while reducing energy costs. The Global LEAP Awards provide clear signals about the quality and energy performance of appliances suitable for off- and weak-grid communities.

Since 2016, the Global LEAP Awards has hosted competitions to identify best-in-class off-grid fans, TVs, refrigerators, cold chain technologies, solar water pumps, and electric pressure cookers.

The Global LEAP Awards identify winners and finalists through a combination of expert evaluation and energy- and cost-based quantitative assessments. Accredited laboratories also test all Global LEAP Awards winners and finalists for their energy performance, quality, and reliability. A panel of off-grid market and an evaluation by a panel of off-grid market experts.

Results-based financing

Global LEAP Awards results-based financing (Global LEAP-RBF) aims to catalyse the uptake of high quality super-efficient appliances. It has the following aims:

1) Lowering the cost to procure large volumes of best-in-class off-grid appliances for early mover off-grid solar companies.

2) Facilitating new business partnerships for appliance suppliers that have invested in the production of high-quality off-grid appliances.

The first two rounds of Global LEAP-RBF took place between 2016 - 2018. The pilot round launched in Bangladesh in 2016, and expanded to East Africa in its second round in late 2017. To date, the Global LEAP-RBF has catalysed the procurement of over 230,000 best-in-class off-grid TVs, fans, and refrigerators across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Bangladesh.

2019-20 Global LEAP-RBF incentives are available for procuring solar water pumps and off-grid refrigerators. identified as 2019 Global LEAP Awards Winners or Finalists in the following regions:

• Off-grid refrigerators: Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda
• Solar water pumps: Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and Senegal