Pittsburgh – October 30, 2026 -- Mercuria Energy Group has committed $4 million over four years to nonprofit Energy Corps, funding five energy access projects in Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Panama and Zambia in 2026.
The partnership gives Energy Corps four years of stable funding to expand its grantmaking and to compare projects across different settings. It also adds Mercuria's technical expertise and global network to Energy Corps' locally led, energy-agnostic model. Mercuria Chief Investment Officer Brian Falik said the company is applying its capital and market expertise to projects meant to expand reliable energy access and the economic opportunity that follows.
Energy Corps targets safety, productive use, reliable power and investment readiness
Energy Corps Head Tisha Schuller said the grantees address four barriers: worker safety, productive use, reliable power and investment readiness. She described Mercuria's support as "a strong runway" to test approaches, measure results and help the most successful models scale.
Solar cold-storage hub to serve fishing communities in coastal Bangladesh
Dwip Unnayan Songstha (Island Development Association), with technical support from Pathway2050, will build a solar-powered community center. The facility will include cold storage, ice making, a fish-drying unit and space for grading and quality control. Nearby businesses and households will receive power under a local tariff model. Training and microfinance for women and vulnerable groups are part of the project, which aims to cut post-harvest losses and raise incomes.
NRECA International to train Congolese line workers on electrical safety
NRECA International, the international arm of America's electric cooperatives, will work with local partners on targeted training and practical tools tailored to local conditions. The effort responds to rising risks for workers who build and maintain power infrastructure as electrification expands across the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
acciona.org to install home solar systems for Indigenous communities in Panama
Many households in the Ngäbe-Buglé Comarca have no grid access. acciona.org in Panama will install home-based photovoltaic systems for lighting, communication, health care, education and work. The project will also power agricultural processing for the local cooperative and provide internet access at the community center.
RMI to prepare up to two Zambian distributed energy projects for financing
RMI will work with Zambian energy sector partners and utilities on customer studies, system design, financial modeling and investor preparation. The aim is to bring up to two distributed energy resource projects to a bankable, implementation-ready stage and to develop a replicable framework for scaling investment in Zambia.
Innovation: Africa to build solar-powered water system in Kaude Village
Innovation: Africa will install a solar-powered water system delivering safe water to taps throughout Kaude Village. The model includes community skills training and remote monitoring to support long-term operation. The grant builds on Energy Corps' earlier investment in Chakumba, Zambia, where more than 3,000 people gained safe water access and no longer make a daily 10-kilometer trip to an unsafe source.
Energy Corps seeks additional industry funding partners
Energy Corps is inviting energy companies, philanthropists, policymakers, development institutions and local leaders to collaborate. Industry leaders interested in becoming funding partners can arrange a conversation with the organization.