Mini-grid data platform for emerging markets with Emily McAteer and Eitan Hochster (Odyssey Energy Solutions)

In this episode, we speak with Emily McAteer, CEO and Cofounder at Odyssey Energy Solutions and Eitan Hochster, VP of Business Development. Odyssey is a web-based platform that is facilitating rapid deployment of microgrids in emerging markets. Their data platform manages how mini-grid data is analyzed and communicated via software tools, data analytics and marketplaces, enabling mini-grid project developers to connect with investors, suppliers, donors and other market stakeholders.

We speak about their work with the Rural Electrification Agency in Nigeria, their work with RBF (Results Based Financing) programs, 

how their platform is helping government and finance organisations manage their large scale decentralised energy programmes, and how the minigrid financing landscape is changing. Our conversation highlights the importance of operational data, and why aggregating and standardising minigrid data is necessary to accelerate the deployment of minigrid solutions in emerging markets.

Contact us at [e-mail]

Visit us at www.distributingsolar.com

Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn

Show notes:

(2:00) Introduction to Odyssey Energy Solutions, their software platform focused on expanding access and financing into the minigrid sector. How the different stakeholders use their platform

(5:30) Their engagement with government organisations, e.g. REA; funds e.g. CBEA (CrossBoundary Energy Access)

Types of data they work with, e.g. CRMs, customer management systems, smart meters, inverters. The difficulty of investing in large numbers of minigrids due to the smaller size and vast amounts of data

(10:30) Their approach to standardising minigrid data; their work with AMDA

(17:00) The potential for Machine Learning in improving their forecasting and accuracy of their data models; meeting the need for asset owners and asset management

(22:30) How Odyssey interacts with financing and how it encourages and supports financing into minigrids

(26:00) Discussion on Results Based Financing, and how Odyssey works with RBF; strong signs of success in Nigeria

(32:00) Emergence of project finance in minigrids

(33:30) Odyssey's work on COVID19 with Cross Boundary; looking at consumer demand changes and electrification of health facilities

(36:30) Eitan's and Emily's background and how they came into the energy access sector

(39:00) The challenges of building Odyssey: trying to build a product for a future market

(43:00) Their work with NEP (Nigerian Electrification Program)

(44:00) Odyssey's financiers: FACTOR[e] and Shell Foundation

(49:00) Where the name Odyssey comes from

(49:30) Advice to new entrepreneurs in the energy sector

(51:00) Predictions for the next 5 years: more business innovation, greater scale in the off-grid sector, mixing between SHS and mini-grids, maturing of project finance available.

Podcast transcript:

Distributing Solar: Eitan and Emily, thank you so much for joining us on Distributing Solar. 

Eitan and Emily: Thank you for having us.

Distributing Solar: Odyssey Energy is a really impactful piece within the energy access sector and we're delighted to have you here because we've already had multiple guests speak about their experiences with Odyssey and how they've already been working with Odyssey Energy Solutions. 

According to the latest numbers on your website, you're already working in over 13 countries,  have facilitated over $350 million into microgrids and supporting over 500 product developers. It would be great if you could start by providing us with an introduction to Odyssey for our listeners who don't already know about Odyssey and the work that you do. 

Emily: Odyssey is a software platform with the mission to enable large-scale capital deployment into solar mini grids, and other types of clean, distributed energy technologies in emerging markets. Our fundamental goal is to get lots of money moving into new types of energy assets to expand access to power.

And the way that we do that is we build a data-driven investment and asset management platform that makes it easy to both evaluate investments in the sector and then manage a portfolio of investments once you've deployed capital.

Distributing Solar: How does a partnership typically work for you? Do you work directly with the mini grid developers or do you work also with financiers? 

Eitan: We have all types of different users of our software and part of t