Renewables: Small Farms and Efficient Energy
The PV-SMART project provides Kenyan dairy farmers with solar milk chillers, reducing spoilage and enhancing income. Use of Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) in agri-food systems, such as solar water pumping in Ethiopia, is preventing waste, creating jobs, and lowering carbon emissions.
Revamping Regulations and Financing Imperative to Fulfill Renewable Energy's Potential
Africa needs policy changes and an infusion of finance to take advantage of its abundant clean energy resources and provide clean electricity to the millions without it.
COP27: High Stakes and Great Expectations
Energy sector leaders, politicians and activists voice their hopes for the upcoming COP27 to be held in Egypt in November. The rallying call is on climate finance. There is an urgent need for financial support to rebuild and better protect the nations most impacted by climate change.
DRE Sector at the Centre of Job Creation
The ‘Powering Jobs Census 2022: The Energy Access Workforce’ report, which compiles employment data from a comprehensive survey conducted across Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, explores the potential of decentralized renewable energy to help achieve both United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 8. The report was well received and stirred debate on how best to encourage growth and inclusion in the distributed renewable energy sector.
Solar for Health
Political will and a call to action set the tone for Zambia's plan to electrify rural health facilities using solar to transform the quality of health services for underserved communities. The Action Plan aims to support the government’s goal of providing equitable quality health services for all as laid out in its Vision 2030.
Pandemic Slows SDG7 While Renewables Thrive
Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report 2022 is out. As expected, COVID-19 reversed the gains made toward meeting SDG7 goal of ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy by 2030. Currently, 733 million people live without electricity, and in the absence of intensified and drastic actions, only 92% of the population will have energy access by 2030. On a positive note, renewables grew through the pandemic – the only energy source that did so. We highlight the findings of this report, which provides a comprehensive assessment of the progress toward SDG7.
Dispatches from SEforALL Forum
Power for All was part of the over 1,000 participants from the energy sector gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, at the recent and highly successful Sustainable Energy for All Forum. The event made significant progress in advancing a clean and inclusive energy transition around the world, including a commitment of USD 347 million to support energy access and transition. The team shares the highlights and takeaways from the forum.
PayGo: Scaling Last Mile Energy Access
While solar technologies are cost-effective in the long run, the high initial installation costs are out of reach for most of Africa’s rural communities. Solar companies therefore introduced Pay-as-You-Go (PayGo), an innovative financial model, which allows the customers to buy the systems in installments. Learn how this disruptive ingenuity is accelerating energy access and transforming lives.
Women with Power: Celebrating the Sector's Most Accomplished Women
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day was ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow’ to recognize the contribution of women and girls worldwide in addressing climate change for a sustainable future. In this edition, Power for All pays tribute to accomplished women in the renewable energy sector as they share their passion and stories in a male-dominated field.
Top Trends That Will Shape Clean Energy Access in 2022
From a heated African UN COP27 to unlocking of finances for small and medium-sized enterprises, more jobs, and the take-off of electric two-and three-wheelers. These and others are amongst the top trends to watch in 2022 in the clean energy access arena according to our partners. This year, we again reached out to them to share their predictions on what will be hot for the sector in the new year. Their verdict is out. Read on to see what’s in store in what seems a stellar year ahead!
India’s Union Budget 2022: What's in Store for Climate Action and Energy Access?
On February 1, 2022, India’s Finance Minister, Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman, tabled the 2022-23 Union Budget in Parliament. Climate action and Productivity were among the four pillars shaping this year’s budget. This article highlights some of the provisions in the budget that present opportunities to strengthen climate action alongside rural development and productivity.
Beyond COP26: Renewable energy empowering employment and equity
After the conclusion of COP26, Power for All summarizes the key takeaways for the decentralized energy sector from its various panel discussions and interviews during the two weeks. The need to address employment and equity in a world recovering from the pandemic is now more urgent than ever.
What future does integrated energy hold for utilities?
Alone, neither centralized nor decentralized energy is purpose-built to end energy poverty at scale. Integrated energy approach through public-private partnerships can accelerate energy access through faster and lower-cost electrification and advance productive use of energy. However, regulatory and finance interventions are needed to transform national energy systems into robust networks that can deliver reliable, affordable, universal access for all.
Time is fast running out to end energy poverty
Despite the remarkable growth in rural electrification over the last decade, the world is falling short of its sustainable energy goals. Lack of access to energy impedes both economic and human development. In an urgent call to action ahead of summits on energy and climate, the co-facilitators of the SDG7 Technical Advisory Group assert that we must radically accelerate the pace of scaling energy access to create a more resilient, equitable and sustainable future.
Why aren't we out of business yet?
When we started in 2015, we hoped the world would have achieved universal energy access by now and we would be out of business by our 6th birthday. What has become even more clear during the pandemic, however, is the need for a paradigm shift in how we view collaboration. Our campaign coordinators reflect on their experiences during the crisis, and what it means for the future.
Unlocking clean energy to transform food systems
With less than 10 years left to end hunger and energy poverty, the world is far off track, write UN Food Systems Summit special envoy Agnes Kalibata and Power for All CEO Kristina Skiera. 2021 offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the food and renewable energy sectors to commit to an ambitious action agenda in service of the SDGs and our shared objectives on climate and a green recovery.
21 women in energy access you should know about
Women can and do play a critical role in scaling energy access due to their local knowledge and leadership. Power for All is taking action by sharing profiles of exceptional women who are at the forefront of scaling energy access, yet are unknown to the outside world. From Sierra Leone, Nepal to Haiti, meet 21 women making a difference.
Youth and clean energy jobs
To be successful, the energy transition will require a generational transition as well. New ideas, new leadership, and new opportunities depend on putting young people at the center of shaping the future of energy systems in Africa and Asia. The time for business-as-usual approaches is ending, as we take the first steps toward the next energy generation and a new legacy.
Top 10 energy access trends to watch in 2021
Our annual energy access trends forecast is out! 2021 is a critical year on many fronts: food systems, healthcare, economic recovery and job creation, climate action, and much more. Decentralized renewables will have a major role to play in all of them. In our annual energy access trends forecast, we consulted multiple sources and identified what are the market movers that will drive progress in energy access finance, technology, policy and capacity.
Digital divide isn't just a technology issue
An estimated1.3 billion pupils have experienced school closures across 186 countries due to COVID-19. Millions of children in Africa and Asia do not have access to digital learning devices or even electricity. As we mark this year’s World Children’s Day, off-grid energy technologies are urgently needed to ensure learning continuity for every child.
Food and energy: why bother?
Achieving food security, economic development and poverty reduction remain elusive goals without sustainable energy access. As we mark World Food Day and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, FAO, Khethworks, Krishi Star, IFPRI and others weigh in on the opportunities for building climate-smart local food systems that grow rural economies and reduce food insecurity.
How can we rescue the energy access sector?
A decade of progress in ending energy poverty is in jeopardy because of the coronavisus pandemic. In this special issue, sector leaders from SEforALL, EnDev, Ashden, 60 Decibels, ACE TAF, AMDA and Power for All reflect on not only what's needed immediately to save struggling companies and consumers, but how we set a strategy for success in the coming decade.
Summer reading: Our most popular content
To mark our 50th newsletter, Power for All tracked down the content you liked most, and decided it was worth resharing. So if you're looking for some summer reading on integrated energy, job creation, India, etc., here's your chance. And don't forget: we're always looking for compelling stories and data for our next 50 issues, so get in touch!
Scaling energy access through inovation
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are the global engine of innovation and job creation. On MSME Day, learn about the state of energy access entrepreneurship in Africa and Asia, how disruptive ingenuity is accelerating SDG7, and why financial and technical support for innovation must be redoubled post-pandemic.
Happy Birthday to Us!
Power for All was launched 5 years ago today on May 21, 2015. It's a time to celebrate, but also a time to reflect. We face great disruption in the world, compounded by an unprecedented health crisis. Our CEO Kristina Skierka writes about Power for All's incredible journey, our successes and struggles, and explores the road ahead for the decentralized renewable energy sector.
COVID-19 & DRE Roundup
Power for All has created a comprehensive COVID-19 round-up that highlights the response by the decentralized renewable energy sector, including new recovery funding and technical assistance opportunities, but also what steps are being taken to accelerate electrification of rural health facilities.
The other health crisis
An estimated 400 million people depend on health facilities that have no access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. A further 100 million are pushed into poverty every year as a result of health care expenditures. Is coronavirus the real threat to global health?
#Womenergy: the time is now
2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration for women's empowerment. Since then, inroads have been made in the energy access sector, but still women represent only about 25% of formal jobs in the decentralized renewable energy sector. What is needed to create an inclusive energy transition between now and 2030?
Top trends for energy access in 2020
As we enter a new decade, there are just ten years left in which to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. The decentralized renewable energy sector has gone through a tremendous amount of innovation, transformation and increasing impact. Here are some of the key trends in the sector that you need to gear up for.
Decade in review
What a ride. 10 years ago distributed renewable energy was barely on the map. Fast forward a decade later, and we can rightfully feel proud of the progress we have made on SDG7, and the amazing innovation and impact we have achieved. Without question we must maintain a sense of urgency about doing more, faster, but as we begin the 2020s let's take a moment to celebrate our sector.
C&I solar poised to soar
Distributed renewable energy solutions for commercial and industrial (C&I) businesses have the potential to lower high electricity prices and enhance power supply in Africa and developing Asia. A huge market for decentralized solar and storage is about to take off.
Cool opportunity: tackling food waste
More than 40% of food loss in emerging economies occurs during post-harvest and processing. A reliable cold-chain is crucial for food security and improved livelihoods and distributed renewables have a major role to play.
South-South for SDG7
To deliver on the global promise of the 2030 Agenda and leave no one behind, a much greater amount of cooperation is needed between countries in the Global South, to ensure mutual support and exchange of best practices, facilitate trade and investment and increase the resilience of emerging economies.
Next up, manufacturing
After a decade of mostly importing from China, a new trend is emerging in Africa and Asia: solar product and mini-grid manufacturers are beginning to set up plants in both continents to expand local markets.
Jobs & Energy Access
Leading business publication Forbes spotlights how rural electrification in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia is not only creating hundreds of thousands of energy sector jobs, but even more jobs in the communities gaining access to power for the first time.
Mini-grid moment...um?
A group of 12 leading impact and energy investors called for donors to ramp up support for mini-grids in Africa, while 10 Africa governments made a similar appeal. Long an under-performing industry, mini-grids may finally be reaching an inflection point, but a huge finance gap persists. What's needed?
Re-imagining utilities to end energy poverty
How can decentralized and centralized, public and private solutions work better together to end energy poverty faster? Power for All and a group of leading energy companies recently launched the Utilities 2.0 initiative to find out. The head of Uganda's largest utility Umeme explains why.
Harvesting energy means breaking down silos
2 billion smallholder farmers are among the most underserved populations in the world. Better access to clean energy has the ability to transform agriculture and speed econonic development, says Factor[e], but financial, operational, technical, and policy barriers need to be overcome.
Beyond access: elevating the DRE narrative
It's time for our sector story to evolve, and we need your help. Acceptance for decentralized renewables has grown, and now we need new focus and new champions to go beyond access. Which is why we are redoubling our story-telling and content co-creation efforts.
Diesel is dying in rural economies: data
Long the only choice for off-grid, under-the-grid and back-up power generation in emerging economies, diesel is now on a death watch with the rise of renewable-powered machinery, growing solar adoption by rural enterprises, and business and finance innovation. That means billions of dollars saved and gigatons of emissions avoided.
Top trends for energy access in 2019
2019 offers a range of tantalizing, pivotal possibilities for the distributed renewable energy sector. Power for All takes a look into our crystal ball and makes its annual predictions for some of the top trends to watch in the coming months.
Electrifying Africa's Labor Market
Energy access offers huge employment potenital, up to 1/5 of the 25 million jobs needed in Africa over the next decade. But only if a large and growing skills gap is closed. Mugo Kabiti of M-KOPA and Gilles Vermot Desroches of Schneider Electric make the case for action.
Getting Productive
"Productive use" is one of the hottest buzzwords in the world of energy access today, but what does it actually mean? Or more importantly, what should it mean? Jeff Stottlemyer of CLASP offers a refreshing perspective as our sector evolves beyond just lighting.
Is SDG7 Set To Converge?
Scaling solar induction stoves can help solve access to both electricity and clean cooking. Are we finally on the cusp of a great convergence that brings together the two tracks of SDG7? Power for All explores the opportunity.
Climate-Proofing Electricity Access
Ahead of global climate discussions starting next month, we must commit to building energy systems in emerging economies that are resilient and secure, and this means putting decentralized renewables front and center, argues investor Alexia Kelly.
Turning Data Into Insight
Key influencers of energy access lack information about modern distributed technologies, policies and markets. To help bridge this gap, Power for All has launched a new data platform, with a mission to make data accessible, understandable and useable by critical energy influencers.
The New Activists
A 100% renewable energy future is increasingly possible, in part thanks to a new generation of activists. Evolving campaign models, which are decentralized and can spread to more people more quickly through digital tools, are proving a winning formula for evidence-based, solutions-oriented grassroots activism. May Boeve of 350.org explains.
Nigeria: The Next Big Frontier For Rural Electricity Access
East Africa has long been a focus of rural electrification in Africa, but all eyes are now turning to Nigeria in the west, as the national leadership, international funders and the private sector unleash a range of federal and state activities to increase deployment of decentralized renewable energy solutions. The stakes are high.
A Case For More "Screen Time"
The concept of a ‘digital divide’ is about 20 years old. Yet nearly 60% of the world's population is still not connected to the internet. The rise of distributed renewables is changing the connectivity equation - for consumers, telecom companies, schools and health clinics.
When Power is Life or Death
Access to electricity saves lives. Lack of it can take them. Yet universal healthcare's reliance on energy is still not given enough attention in the fight for sustainable development. Energy underpins modern healthcare, whether through connectivity to telemedicine, safe delivery of babies, or refrigeration of vaccines. The stakes couldn't be higher, and international focus on strengthening health systems must put energy front and center.
Hey Matt Damon, Let's Talk
Water.org co-founder Matt Damon, you've said solutions "must extend to other places quickly" to solve the global water crisis. We agree, and clean distributed solar is a great answer. With 2018 spotlighting the dual global goals of universal electricity access (SDG7), and universal access to clean water and sanitation (SDG6), now is the time for a water-energy partnership.
Utilities and the Decentralized Pivot
We haven't won yet. But decentralized renewables are starting to win a meaningful role in the quest for universal electricity access. Building on Power for All's earlier efforts to help development banks and national policymakers understand the opportunity, 2018 will be a time to ensure that utilities are fully embracing the distributed revolution.
Subsidy and Electricity Access
The private sector has proven that it can deliver electricity access with little or no government support. But for the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 to be met, there is an increasing consensus that subsidy reform is required that gives decentralized renewable energy (DRE) solutions a level playing field with traditional (and mostly loss-making) business models.
Are Mini-Grids About to Get Really Boring (and Boom)?
No sexy headlines here. Mini-grids have had enough hype over the years. Now it's time for the boring work of standardization and scale. Much more needs to be done, but there are imporant advances being made in building a vibrant sector that is on a trajectory toward full commercialization. What are the 5 standardizations needed?
India: Ground Zero for Scaling Electricity Access
India has targeted universal household electrification by as early as May 2018. That's less than 300 days to bring electricity to about 300 million people (more than 1 million per day). The sheer scale of India offers an unprecedented opportunity to reshape the decentralized renewable energy (DRE)—at home and internationally. What's happening to ensure that, and what's still needed?
The Human Capital Investment: SDG7 and the Renewable Energy Generation
7,000 to 20,000 energy enterprises will be needed to scale the distributed solar market and achieve universal electricity access by 2030. But what if we build a market, and there is no one trained to fill the jobs created by those companies? In order to achieve SDG7, we must follow a simultaneous two-track process: addressing both the supply and demand for the human capacity needed to scale DRE.
25x25: A Collaborative Vision to Scale Access
In order to achieve universal electricity access, a much greater level of collaboration is needed, as is the level of our collective ambition. In our May newsletter, Power for All asks the question: what if we could extend the successes of East Africa to 25 other countries by 2025? Or more? That's what we want to do. If you do too, read on and let's start a movement together
Promise to Progress: A Policy Call to Action
It’s time to move from promise to progress for decentralized renewable energy (DRE). This week, we launch a groundbreaking report, based on detailed market analysis, which reveals the five policies national governments can adopt to reach universal energy access before 2030. Join Power for All and its partners as we urge policy-makers to take rapid action to end energy poverty. Read the report, 'Decentralized Renewables: From Promise to Progress', and share the key messages in this Call to Action
Designing Energy Markets of the Future
The decentralized renewable energy (DRE) sector has helped 100 million people gain access to clean energy, saved billions of dollars for families living under the poverty line, and improved health, welfare and education––and it has done so with only limited planning and policy support. So what would success look like with more support, and which policies would make the most difference? Our March newsletter explores the findings of a Power for All DRE company survey on the most effective levers for market growth. In this article, learn which actions practitioners think would turbo charge energy access
Change Minds, Activate Markets
Accurate data and education about new energy solutions is critical for making informed choices––particularly for energy access. Whether a consumer, policy-maker, business owner, or investor, if you don't know an alternative exists, how can you choose it? Our February newsletter explores how awareness about decentralized renewable energy (DRE) has already helped improve millions of lives, and is vital to ending energy poverty. In this article, learn about community leaders, determined educators, and innovative awareness campaigns that have sparked a shift to DRE.
What's on the Horizon for 2017
$1 billion in investment, new national and sub-national regions on the rise, utilities with attitude, jobs––and more jobs––and unheralded collaboration. It's all in our December newsletter, as we look across the horizon at what 2017 has in store for decentralized renewable energy (DRE). Take a look at what, where, and who to watch in the year ahead.
Why more power will combat climate change
The power that will lift hundreds of millions from energy poverty, is the same power that will help combat climate change: decentralized renewables. As world leaders get ready for COP22, we highlight how distributed technologies can significantly reduce emissions, provide clean energy to the people most vulnerable to climate disruption, and improve resilience in the world's poorest communities. In this article, we explain why replacing kerosene lamps and diesel generators with renewable alternatives has been termed the "low-hanging fruit" of the climate world, and call for rapid action to speed up energy access.
Power to the People
With so much attention on finance and policy, the decentralized renewable energy sector can sometimes lose sight of what we're all really fighting for: the opportunity for people to live better lives. As a new report from our partner Practical Action reminds us: no one knows this more than the people most affected by energy poverty, and we will only succeed if we learn from and empower those living in energy poor communities. In this article, we profile some of the incredible groups and individuals already leading the way. Read about the pioneering communities who built 1000 micro-hydro plants in Nepal, those at the heart of the Kenyan solar energy boom, and more
SDG7: one year in, are we on the right path?
In a wake up call to national and international decision makers, the Overseas Development Institute examined the projected progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and found that a 'revolution' is needed to achieve SDG7—clean, affordable, modern energy for all—by 2030. Ahead of the first anniversary of the SDGs on September 25, this newsletter highlights how decentralized renewable energy (DRE) must be at the heart of that revolution, and looks at the critical role national policy must play. Here we provide a sneak peek into early findings from research by our Platform for Energy Access Knowledge team, which identifies the policy levers at the center of strong DRE markets in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Kenya and Tanzania
Ending Energy Poverty is a Team Challenge
In this month's Power for All newsletter, we feature some of the pioneering collaborations catalyzing the rapid spread of decentralized renewable energy, and in the process powering improvements in health, education, agriculture and much more. This article spotlights leading multi-stakeholder clean energy initiatives, and the important role of innovative governments. Learn about the programs helping countries meet their development goals
Powering the Next Generation
Jobs engine? Yes. Business catalyst? Yes. Changing the way we can power the future... absolutely. From Africa to India, banks to bakeries, welding shops to water pumps, reliable power from decentralized renewables is kick-starting businesses and boosting employment. This article shows how clean energy is unlocking innovation and driving the “Micro-Enterprise Economy”
EnergyAccessX: Driving the New Energy Future
What a month! From the focus on energy at the African Development Bank (AfDB) Annual Meetings, detailed sessions at the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA) Conference, new initiatives such as the Sierra Leone Energy Revolution and much more, the past few weeks have provided an unprecedented opportunity to put forward a compelling new vision for universal electrification. None more so than EnergyAccessX, the first-ever Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) parallel program on decentralized solutions. Our June newsletter kicks off with an update from the high profile event.
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