A GMG is a set of small-scale renewable energy electricity generators interconnected to a distribution network that supplies electricity to a localized group of customers and operates independently from the national transmission grid. GMGs usually serve the needs of remote and often rural or vulnerable communities. These communities are too distant to be economically connected to the grid in the near to medium term but densely populated enough to offer economies of scale in power delivery compared with individual home systems. While GMGs have not yet achieved the same commercial success as small-scale solar home systems, they represent a tremendous near-term opportunity to drive economic opportunities in rural areas.

The IACADES project established a solar photovoltaic GMG in Sitolo, Malawi, providing nearly 1,000 customers with renewable energy-based electricity. The project also contributed to an increasingly supportive policy and regulatory framework, enhanced technical expertise and awareness within the public sector and improved access to information on GMGs in the country.