Between 2004 and 2012, the Laos Rural Electrification Program provided more than 39,000 formerly unconnected households with access to electricity. This access has facilitated many social, economic, and environmental co-benefits, including higher household incomes, reduced time spent on chores, reduced local air pollution, and reduced expenditure on energy assets. The program prioritized households from marginalized groups, including female-headed, poor, and disabled communities.

The Solar Home Systems (SHS) and Power to the Poor (P2P) initiatives have dramatically increased rural socioeconomic activity without notably increasing electricity use-related carbon emissions levels. They present remarkable case studies on how low emission rural electrification initiatives can contribute significantly to rural social and economic development.