b'IMPACT STATEMENT 2023AFFORDABLE ANDEnsuring the long-term use of solar energy through innovative CLEAN ENERGYfinancing: our Sustainable Electrification of Public Services (STEPS) modelCrown Agents is contributing to keeping the globalIn partnership with Bamboo Capital Partners and the average temperature rise below 1.5 degrees andSierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Crown Agents is trialling the Sustainable Electrification of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Public Services (STEPS) model.Supported by Agence franaise de dveloppement (AFD)s Fund for Innovation in Development (FID), the STEPS pilot will validate the model and include the solar electrification of ten primary health facilities in Improving access toSierra Leone. They serve 20,000 out-patients a year, supporting 500 safe births annually.healthcare for 50,000STEPS enables clinics and hospitals to accesspatients in Sierra Leone:a reliable source of solar energy from privatesector providers. Our model uses a mix of grantour partnership with theand social impact funding to tackle key barriersto investment in Health Facility Electrification (HFE)Foreign, Commonwealthin the public sector.and Development OfficeTo ensure the sustainability of energy provision,the STEPS model not only secures funding for(FCDO) and Sustainablethe installation of PV panels; it also guaranteesthe equipments long-term operations and Energy for all (SEforAll) maintenance needs.According to the United Nations, 660 million people worldwide lack access to energy. For health facilities,We have been having access to reliable energy is a matter of life and death. Clinics, maternity wards, operating rooms,working on providing and laboratories rely on electricity to power lights, refrigerate vaccines, and operate life-saving solar photovoltaic medical devices. In Sierra Leone, only 36% of the country has accesssystems to six to electricity, despite an abundance of potential solar power. Some 89% of facilities in the health sector lack electricity. To solve this, Crown Agentshospitals serving has worked in the past year to electrify six hospitals serving around 50,000 patients annually with funding50,000 patientsfrom the FCDO in partnership with SEforAll. The initiative installs decentralised solar photovoltaic (PV)a year in Sierra Leonesystems with batteries to ensure a cost-effective 24-hour energy supply that overcomes the hospitals dependence on diesel-powered generators and unreliable grids. In addition to managing the installation of the systems, Crown Agents is working with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to develop an operations and maintenance plan. This will ensure a reliable and sustainable provision of electricity at the targeted health facilities.16 17'