Thousands of people living in off-grid villages in Myanmar will have access to renewable energy, thanks to a $2 million (£1.2m) grant project.

The three-year assistance, provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Japan, will include the installation of 10MW of small-scale renewable energy systems – focused on solar and biomass.They will also help develop investment plans and policies for renewable energy expansion in the chosen areas.

Myanmar’s renewable energy sources currently include solar, hydropower, biomass and wind power however several barriers such as the lack of a legal framework, limited finances and shortage of trained personnel are hindering the development of the sector, according to the ADB.

Myanmar’s per capita electricity usage is only 140KWh as a result of low levels of electrification, industrial development and investment, according to the ADB.

Pradeep Tharakan, Project Leader and an ADB Senior Climate Change Specialist said: “This project will help demonstrate Myanmar’s potential in renewable energy while bringing power to 400,000 households and services such as schools by 2022.”