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From Energy Access to Economic Empowerment: Workable Models for Financing a Just Transition in Emerging Markets
Today 2.1 billion people live without clean cooking fuels and technologies, and over 660 million people lack electricity access. Yet as Anthony Osijo at Bboxx points out, as global conversations largely focus on decarbonizing energy resources to combat climate change, these millions of households still cannot access essential products and services the rest of the world takes for granted. He argues that emerging markets can't simply be left in the dark because their kerosene lamps and diesel generators aren’t environmentally viable, especially if they lack access to suitable alternatives. He explores ways to finance and deliver a just climate transition — while also eradicating energy poverty.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment
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Turning Failure into Fuel: An Emerging Learning Platform Aims to Bring the Hidden Challenges in Humanitarian Energy to Light
The humanitarian energy sector is eager to learn from success. But according to clean cooking and energy access researchers Nazifa Rafa, Tash Perros, Iwona Bisaga and Ronan Ferguson, its failures are usually buried in reports or quietly brushed aside, and there's often a disconnect between what’s documented in impact reports and what practitioners experience on the ground. They argue that this dynamic is unsustainable in a sector with high risks, urgent needs and shrinking funding. In response, they share an emerging solution: the Humanitarian Energy Learning Platform, a centralized, inter-donor learning system designed to highlight what’s going wrong in humanitarian energy access, and how practitioners can systematically learn from it.
- Categories
- Energy
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New IEA Report Lays Out Pathway to Finance Universal Electricity Access in Africa
First-of-its-kind tracking shows investment is rising but remains well below levels needed to close the access gap.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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BII Commits $20 Million to Acumen’s Hardest-to-Reach Initiative
The platform aims to expand access to affordable, reliable energy in underserved African markets.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Analysis: How Fossil Fuel Dependency Keeps Nigerians in Darkness
Nigeria holds more than 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves — the largest in Africa and ninth globally. Yet millions still face daily blackouts.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Jacqueline Novogratz and Acumen Raise $300 Million For Off-Grid Solar In Africa
Backers include Green Climate Fund, IFC, Shinhan Bank, Nordic Development Fund and Soros Economic Development Fund.
- Categories
- Energy, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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IFC Seeks $300 Million to Fund Electricity Mini-Grids in Africa
The International Finance Corp. is setting up an entity aimed at lowering the cost of mini grids in Africa, to accelerate plans to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
- Categories
- Energy, Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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MOPO Secures £5 Million Investment From Norfund to Expand Clean Energy Access Across Africa
MOPO operates a pay-per-use battery rental system that delivers clean and dependable energy to households and businesses through solar charging hubs managed by local agents.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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