Scale. It’s the eternal new years resolution, and I’m not talking about losing weight.
To scale is to take the best of what works, and do it again, and again, and again. For our industry in 2014, emerging and frontier markets have become more accessible than ever before, and the top investment priority is scaling what works. Just like that new exercise app can’t make you healthier, a plethora of technologies can’t bring mobile connectivity to the next billion subscribers. Getting off the couch is hard, and so is executing the expansion of a mobile network into emerging markets.
Energy is the most important aspect to make this scaling process successful. New business models, designed to harmonize specific stakeholder needs across diverse markets, enable the scalability of network expansion. These models address the long term energy strategy that allows for the sustainability of mobile technology in emerging markets. Community power, local impact, and especially the cost of operations and maintenance are all dependent on the implementation of effective energy solutions. Like any lasting new years resolution, harnessing the energy needed to follow through is always the most important step to successful and sustainable change.
David Droz is the Director of Urban Green Energy.
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