Emerging markets can indeed bypass traditional fossil fuels by adopting affordable and scalable electric technologies, according to the authors of the newly released report. This “electric fast-track” offers a cheaper and faster route to prosperity for the billion people currently underserved by the global energy system.
The report states that “The difference today is that a credible alternative development path exists: electrotech is now cheaper, widely available, easily scalable, and offers the prospect of energy independence and abundance to drive growth.” Furthermore, it notes that “within a decade, solar-plus-battery is set to be cheaper than the grid for virtually everyone in CVF countries, connected or not.”
In simple terms, this means that the old-fashioned way of building massive power plants and stretching thousands of miles of expensive wires is no longer the only option. Instead, communities can now use small, modular systems like solar panels and batteries that can be set up quickly and expanded as needed. Because these technologies are becoming so much cheaper to manufacture and install, they are finally reaching people who were previously priced out of the modern energy market.
The report “The electric fast-track for emerging markets” was published globally by energy think tank Ember, in partnership with the Climate Vulnerable Forum, on 2 April 2026. Authored by a team including Daan Walter and Sam Butler-Sloss, the analysis details how developing nations can bypass fossil fuel reliance through scalable and affordable electric technologies.
