CASE STUDY

Mini-grids are increasingly deployed to expand rural electrification in developing countries,
yet evidence on service-quality performance remains uneven. This systematic review synthesises
empirical evidence from 22 peer-reviewed studies (2005–2025) on rural mini-grid
performance across six energy-access indicators: electrification rate, availability of supply,
hours of supply, affordability, reliability, and consistency (power quality).

Using PRISMAguided
database searches in Scopus and Web of Science, 138 records were identified;
following de-duplication and screening, 22 studies met the inclusion criteria. The evidence
base is concentrated in Africa and Asia, and most studies adopt mixed-methods approaches
combining household- and/or enterprise-level evidence with system or operational data.
Across indicators, electrification outcomes are frequently positive but reported using heterogeneous
metrics, often relying on connection counts rather than population-referenced
rates (10/22 studies report electrification outcomes). Service availability and hours of
supply vary widely, ranging from evening-only provision (~5 h/day) to near-continuous
service (24 h/day), with several studies documenting demand–capacity mismatch and
load shedding (9/22 quantify availability; 12/22 quantify hours). Affordability is most
frequently reported (16/22 studies), spanning substantial household cost reductions in
some settings to high tariffs that constrain uptake in remote contexts. Reliability is seldom
quantified using extractable outage/downtime metrics (4/22 studies). No study reports
standardised voltage/frequency power-quality measures; only proxy evidence relates to
consistency, leaving power quality as a major evidence gap. Mini-grids can deliver meaningful
improvements in rural electricity access, but the literature remains constrained by
inconsistent indicator definitions, limited standardised reliability/power-quality measurement,
and short monitoring horizons. Future research and regulation should prioritise
harmonised service-quality metrics and longer-term, field-based performance evaluation.