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New Partnership to Drive Off-Grid Solar Energy Enterprises in Africa
VentureBuilder and the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) have announced their partnership to support the development of off-grid solar energy enterprises that can meet the demands of underserved populations in Africa.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Bottom-up Solutions to the Climate Emergency: Three Innovative, Eco-Inclusive Enterprises Take a Local Approach
We just reached the end of the hottest decade on record, and local communities – particularly in the Global South – are bearing the brunt of the impact. As climate change disrupts development efforts and worsens global food crises, population displacement and water scarcity, there's a growing need for more resilient communities. The SEED Awards highlight eco-inclusive enterprises that are addressing this challenge – authors at SEED discuss some promising examples.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy, Environment, Social Enterprise
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Waiting Game: Where is All the Investment in Solar-Powered Productive Use Appliances?
The solar industry has helped over 360 million people in off-grid communities gain access to basic electricity – and the sector is moving beyond just lighting. Many companies now offer household appliances and, increasingly, “productive-use” appliances that support income-generating activities. However, investment in companies deploying these technologies remains minimal. Leslie Labruto at Acumen and Jeff Stottlemyer at CLASP explore the problem, and some potential solutions.
- Categories
- Energy
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What Is Preventing the Adoption of Renewable Energy in Rural India, and How to Fix It?
In the hinterland, poor power quality continues to affect service delivery organisations in the health, education, and livelihood sectors.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- South Asia
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Press Release: SunFunder Makes First Investment in Nigeria With Daystar Power
SunFunder, a solar finance company providing debt capital to solar enterprises in emerging markets, today announced its first disbursement in Nigeria, part of a facility of up to $4m with commercial and industrial (C&I) solar developer, Daystar Power.
- Categories
- Energy
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India to Boost Renewables by Over $800 Million in 2020
In India, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has been given an annual increase of 10.62% or INR 57.53 billion (approximately $806.65 million) in the country’s 2020 national budget.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- South Asia
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Giant Solar Arrays: Do Big Ambitions Mean Big Problems?
Some of the world’s most ambitious large-scale solar projects have been plagued by delay, ultimately making them a financial burden rather than a beacon on the renewable power horizon. Does this mean such projects are outdated?
- Categories
- Energy
- Tags
- energy access, solar
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Solar Energy Storage Faces a Battery of Challenges – How to Overpower Them
Diesel electricity generation is expensive, unsustainable and harmful to users' health and the environment. But it still dominates the energy mix in emerging markets. Why? According to Alec Macklis at Gridspan Energy, one reason is that solar energy is intermittent by nature, making it hard to incorporate into a reliable energy system. But though this problem can be solved by better energy storage, solar + storage solutions haven't gained major traction. He explores the reasons for this, and presents an innovative energy storage approach that could help.
- Categories
- Energy
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