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OPINION: No matter what government says, coal is no longer India’s cheapest energy source
India now has nearly 200GW of coal. Further, the $4.6 billion estimate does not include other social costs (water pollution, deforestation, displacement, ash disposal etc.) To pass this off as an entire accounting of coal’s hidden costs is either shoddy or dishonest.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- South Asia
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People Are Cooking With Human Poo — and That’s a Good Thing
In Kenya, the future of sanitation may entail turning human waste into fuel.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Social Entrepreneurs, Ignore the Mantra of Focus at Your Own Peril
When SunFarmer went through Y Combinator in 2015, its founders heard a lot of startup wisdom, including the mantra of focus. But according to co-founder Andy Moon, the Nepal-based social enterprise ignored this advice – then struggled to sell multiple products to multiple customer segments simultaneously. Moon discusses what went wrong, and how his firm is regrouping.
- Categories
- Energy, Social Enterprise
- Tags
- Base of the Pyramid, solar
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Why Startup Accelerators Won’t Create the Global Climate Technology Revolution
Accelerators may be a great way to launch the next Pokémon Go app or even Airbnb, but they're not as suited for climate startups in low- and middle-income countries. Jean-Louis Racine, leader of the infoDev Climate Technology Program at the World Bank Group, explores several reasons why accelerators are "at best an incomplete tool for building climate tech sectors."
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy, Environment, Social Enterprise, Technology
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Solar & Renewable Energy Pioneer Kingo Announces $8.0 Million Series B Financing Round
Kingo, through its innovative prepaid solar energy service, turns lives ON for off-grid households at the bottom of the economic pyramid (BoP).
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing
- Region
- Latin America
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‘Internet Access is Like Oxygen’: Converging Connectivity and Energy Access
Microsoft’s Affordable Access Initiative is providing grants to internet access and related services companies and startups reaching underserved communities in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and North America. In June, the tech giant announced the second year of grantees. Paul Garnett, senior director of the Affordable Access Initiative at Microsoft, explores how internet connectivity can have a ripple effect.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy, Technology, Telecommunications
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Loans for solar systems make power affordable in rural Kenya
Until recently, Njoroge’s home northwest of Kenya's capital, Nairobi, was poorly lit at night. Most people in Ndabibi are not connected to mains electricity, and rely on kerosene or small solar lamps to light their homes.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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ShelterTech Mexico 2017: Promoting Entrepreneurship and Investment in the Housing Sector
Habitat for Humanity, in partnership with Village Capital, launched ShelterTech Mexico 2017, a three-month accelerator focused on housing sector startups that are increasing access for marginalized communities to basic services in any of three areas: water and sanitation, energy, and innovative construction materials. Melva Flores talks about the two teams selected by their peers to receive an investment of US $50,000 each.
- Categories
- Energy, Social Enterprise
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