2009 Arc Finance / BASE
Arc Finance, BASE, and the Mexican market research firm Mercaei collaborated on a research project to assess the feasibility of using remittances to finance renewable energy products. The project team conducted market research with Haitian and Dominican immigrants in the New York area to understand and assess their interest in tying a portion of their remittances to an energy loan or savings product in the receiving country. The Dominican Republic and Haiti made excellent “laboratory” sites for this research because of similarities in immigrant populations, high remittance volumes, and geographical proximity. Their differences — in economic development and electrification rates — provided additional variables for comparison. The project team identified a number of promising business models for financing and distributing sustainable energy products, developed a strong network of distribution partners, and built a comprehensive understanding of the energy sector in Haiti. This report, commissioned by the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank, summarizes the findings. Read our report (PDF) ►