CERAM: Brazilian Renewable Energy Services Consortium

With this initiative we are engaged in developing a successful BoP enterprise focussed at creating a business eco-system that delivers value to local people and communities in multiple ways, not just a single product for a single market, by realizing sustainable mini grids providing energy services to underserved businesses and communities and provide off-grid household and remote location energy services.

A diversified business venture/consortium in which IDEAAS, a social enterprise in Brazil, Martins Group (Brazil's largest wholesale distribution company, now serves over 300,000 of small retailers nationwide and considers itself not just in the distribution business, but in the business of making its customers more competitive) and key local partners like ORSA Group/ORSA Foundation are focussed at realizing sustainable (energy) services.

ICCO (a Dutch international development organisation), ORSA Foundation/ORSA Group supported by BoP Innovation Center initiated this incubation in 2011 to address the challenge of realizing sustainable energy services for rural communities in the Jari Region in the Brazilian Amazon. 

With support from the Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) the consortium establishes a pilot in Jarí and develops the business plan. By the end of 2012 several impact investors have expressed interest for investing in the new venture. During 2013 the venture will be realized.

Theme: Energy

Partners: Grupo Orsa, ICCO, IDEAAS, REEEP, Martins Group

BoP region: South America

Role of the BoP Innovation Center: strategy, business planning, incl. innovation support and match making

Contact person: Taco de Nies ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )