Husk Launches AI-Driven DER Platform to Scale Across Africa and Asia

US-based Husk has announced a major expansion of its clean energy ambitions with the launch of an AI-enabled distributed energy resources (DER) platform aimed at delivering modern electricity to 30 million people across the Global South by 2030.

The company unveiled the initiative, branded the 'Powering Prosperity' platform, at the 'Africa Investment Forum', as it opened fundraising for its Series E round.

The platform leverages predictive and agentic AI technologies to accelerate the deployment of grid-interoperable distributed solar and battery systems across Africa and Asia. Husk plans to mobilize $400 million in equity and debt to build at least 2 GW of DER assets over the next five years. The company, which has already raised over $125 million, currently serves more than 2.2 million people in India and Nigeria.

Husk’s new model is designed to serve three customer segments: communities, businesses and households. The company will deploy isolated and grid-connected minigrids for rural communities, while commercial, industrial and residential users will be offered rooftop and ground-mounted solar systems on turnkey EPC or power purchase agreement (PPA) terms. The platform will also support health centres and schools.

Husk Co-Founder and CEO Manoj Sinha said the move reflects the company’s evolution from a community minigrid pioneer to a broader AI-driven DER provider. “This opens up exciting new growth opportunities to take our nearly 10 years of experience and apply it with even greater impact by deploying 2 GW by 2030,” he said.

At the core of the platform is a digital infrastructure powered by advanced AI. Husk’s predictive algorithms forecast demand at each site, while its agentic systems optimise power generation in 30-minute intervals to minimise energy costs and maximise renewable penetration. According to the company, this approach will help displace tens of thousands of diesel generators, avoid 5 megatons of carbon emissions, and accelerate clean energy access.

The initiative aligns with broader global energy goals, including Mission 300, a World Bank and African Development Bank programme to electrify 300 million people by 2030. The World Bank has identified solar minigrids as the most cost-efficient solution for first-time electrification of 380 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa. Husk’s expansion also supports India’s target of installing 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.