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Village women transform into clean energy entrepreneurs in Nepal initiative
Since it began operations in 2012, Empower Generation has created over 20 women-led businesses, employing 300 female distribution agents who go from village-to-village, selling, maintaining and collecting repayments for products.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- renewable energy
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How Flexible Financing, Solar Panels and Data Could Be Key to Financial Inclusion
With over 1 million units installed in the past four years, the PAYGo financing model is already unlocking significant growth for the off-grid solar industry. But the sector also faces formidable challenges. FIBR, a project by BFA in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, is exploring ways PAYGo solar can leverage data to make better point-of-sale decisions, customize product offerings, engage and retain agent networks, inform future follow-on products, and build linkages with other financial service providers.
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Japan vows to ramp up efforts to export renewable energy technology
Emphasizing that energy demand will only grow in China and Southeast Asia, Kishida noted in a message read to a symposium hosted by the ministry in Tokyo that "Japan's environmental technologies will greatly contribute to Asian nations' (transition)."
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- renewable energy
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What the U.S. can learn from India on climate change and energy access
Indeed, with the United States’ retreat from the Paris climate agreement leaving a void in global leadership, it may be Prime Minister Modi – with his bold renewable energy agenda, “power for all” commitment, and push for widespread adoption of LED light bulbs – who steps up to the plate.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- climate change
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Three Ways Entrepreneurs Can Tackle Climate Change (Hint: It’s Not Just About Scale)
There are ways entrepreneurs can make sizeable impacts on climate change without Facebook-like growth curves. Jean-Louis Racine says investors should follow the lead of the venture capital sector and support startups that won't grow or be profitable. Traditional impact metrics such as goods sold, customers served, revenues generated or jobs created no longer apply. The best way to catalyze a climate technology market is to help ensure that innovative high-risk, low-growth ventures don't fall through the cracks.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Technology
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Renewable energy firm feted for providing solar-powered ‘sari-sari’ stores in nation’s rural areas
The company, a winner of the Impact Hub Fellowship (Incubation) program in April, helps and trains communities with limited resources of potable and viable water via solar-power pumps, precipitation devices and rainwater harvest.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- renewable energy, solar
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Clearing the Way for Clean Energy Investment in Emerging Markets
Investment in renewables in emerging markets is growing, helped by the combination of high energy demand with declining prices, and banks in OECD nations are playing a larger role in financing the projects. Still, despite the growth opportunities, there are several key obstacles confronting those looking to invest in clean energy. Ankit Mishra discusses ways to reduce some of these challenges.
- Tags
- renewable energy
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Energy Solutions Shouldn’t Just Tick Boxes, They Should Transform Communities
Simple electrification around the world, without the existence of a suitable ecosystem, has not led to transformation, writes Sarah Alexander of the SELCO Foundation. That ecosystem needs to be created and strengthened by a host of local stakeholders to complement efforts of last-mile energy enterprises to transform the lives of the poor – and understanding the demand for the solution is critical.
- Categories
- Energy, Impact Assessment