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Meet the Zayed Sustainability Prize Finalists
This year, finalists include start-ups which have developed technologies to combat plastic waste and the spread of disease, as well as improving access to clean electricity.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Health Care, Technology
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
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Uganda’s Thirst for Hydropower Raises Fears for Environment
Last June, Bonang Power and Energy, a South African company, announced it had applied for a licence to build a 360MW hydro plant at Uhuru Falls – which is adjacent to Murchison Falls. It was a further blow to conservationists, already reeling from news that energy company Total E&P Uganda had been given approval to develop six oilfields in the park, to the north of Lake Albert.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Is Vertical Integration Good or Bad for Off-Grid Energy Access? Let’s Get Specific
Pay-as-you-go off-grid energy business models are often vertically integrated, including elements of manufacturing, distribution, consumer financing, payment collection and after-sales service. But some believe it's more cost-effective to outsource many of these aspects of the business model to service providers. Paul Clyde and Colm Fay at WDI argue that vertical integration is neither inherently good, nor bad: They explore its history, and its advantages and disadvantages for the nascent off-grid energy industry.
- Categories
- Energy
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$2.5 Million Initiative to Support Clean Energy-Based Livelihood Solutions in Tamil Nadu
The Council on Energy, Environment and Water and Villgro Innovation Foundation will support at least five enterprises to undertake large-scale commercial deployments.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- South Asia
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And the Winners of NextBillion’s Most Influential Article of 2019 Contest Are …
Tough questions and tougher answers: NextBillion's most influential articles of 2019 – as rated by our readers – confronted some confounding new realities in emerging markets business, and the potential futures they portend. And here are the winners! Thank you to the hundreds of readers who cast their ballots during the holiday period – and especially to the guest writers who shared these insightful pieces.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Education, Energy, Environment, Finance, Health Care, Impact Assessment, Investing, Technology
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India’s $62 Billion Sanitation Economy Is Fueling Entrepreneurs in Renewable Energy
The crisis is fueling a growing number of companies and “sanipreneurs” to cash in by finding ways to turn human waste into valuable resources, including renewable energy.
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- renewable energy
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Insights, Analysis and Debate: Vote for the Top NextBillion Article of 2019
Another year has come and gone, and it's time for NextBillion to select our most influential articles of 2019. As usual, we’re turning to you, our readers, for help. We've selected our 12 most-read articles of the year, and we invite you to vote for the one that impacted your thinking the most. You can vote up to 12 times during the voting period, which runs from Dec. 20 to Jan. 2. The winner will be announced on Jan. 3. As always, thank you for reading, contributing content to, and engaging with NextBillion!
- Categories
- Education, Energy, Environment, Finance, Investing, Technology
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Shedding Light on Women in Solar: How – And Why – Off-Grid Solar Companies Should Hire More Female Sales Agents
Off-grid solar companies need large sales forces to reach last-mile consumers. But though they often struggle to build these sales forces, and though there's a large pool of female candidates to choose from, only 35% of their salespeople are women. Scott A. Roy at Whitten & Roy Partnership discusses the false assumptions that keep solar companies from hiring women, and explores the reasons why female sales agents are actually better all-around performers than men.
- Categories
- Energy