Decentralised renewable energy technologies offer important solution for “under-the-grid” electrification in Africa

Access to energy is a big concern. As Rebekah Shirley, Research Director at Power for All and Visiting Research Scholar at Strathmore University in Kenya writes on The Conversation website, at least 110 million people in Africa still live without such access. But there are some good solutions, she explains. Millions of urban Africans still … Continue reading Decentralised renewable energy technologies offer important solution for “under-the-grid” electrification in Africa →

India’s energy transition still needs to cope with country’s caste system

Every week we are reading more and more about the important strides forward that India is making in its energy transition. Vibhor Saxena, Associate Lecturer in Economics at the University of St Andrews points out in an article on The Conversation website that some social groups are not enjoying the benefits that wealthier households are. … Continue reading India’s energy transition still needs to cope with country’s caste system →

Cycling as you’ve never seen it

When we think of the impact of cycling, we think of the Tour de France and the great cycling events at the Olympics. Now Chloe Olewitz writes on the Digital Trends website about an initiative to distribute 10,000 stationary bicycles throughout India that could eventually revolutionise electricity for the billions of people around the world … Continue reading Cycling as you’ve never seen it →

A global perspective on fuel poverty

Nick Butler provides a very good blog on the Financial Times website about the importance of energy and yet, according to the most recent forecast from the IEA, almost a billion people will still lack electricity in 2030. It is in everyone’s interest to change that. What do you think? Energy poverty, the plight … Continue reading A global perspective on fuel poverty →

The crumbling and mismanaged state of the energy infrastructure in Africa

As we concern ourselves about Millennium Development Goals, Sustainable Energy for All and global climate change agreements, there are other development concerns. Pilita Clark writes a good article in the Financial Times describing how poor the energy infrastructure is in Africa and what it means to the socio-economic development of the region. Badly run … Continue reading The crumbling and mismanaged state of the energy infrastructure in Africa →

Sustainable Energy for All

Globally, there is a new effort to seriously address universal energy access, improve energy efficiency and increase the share of renewable energy. Many organisations and companies are participating. In Europe, the European Commission recently began a couple of important long-term projects in Africa under the SE4ALL banner. Krysta Villeda has written an excellent blog for … Continue reading Sustainable Energy for All →

Let’s hope the answer is blowing in the wind

David Smith writes in the Guardian about the opening of Africa’s biggest windfarm in Ethiopia. Only 14% of the Ethiopian population has access to modern energy services and let’s hope this windfarm will turn that around to give access to the wider population. Ethiopia opens Africa's biggest windfarm A windfarm billed as the biggest in … Continue reading Let’s hope the answer is blowing in the wind →

UN Secretary-General launches SE4ALL energy efficiency hub

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) opened a new global centre for Energy Efficiency as part of the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative. The Energy Efficiency Hub (EE Hub), in Copenhagen, Denmark, will seek to help “drastically increase” energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment. … Continue reading UN Secretary-General launches SE4ALL energy efficiency hub →

Bringing electricity to the developing world

Tina Rosenberg, former Pulitzer Prize winner, recently provided this opinion piece in the New York Times. As we are seeking solutions to increase access to modern energy services to meet the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Energy for All, Ms. Rosenberg’s article provides important evidence that many of our modern devices that … Continue reading Bringing electricity to the developing world →