-
Let’s Get Real: Energy Access is Leaving Everyone Behind
Despite popular energy industry catchphrases like “leaving no one behind,” John Keane, the CEO of SolarAid and SunnyMoney, doesn’t buy the hype. While he sees much progress in new businesses, products and services entering emerging markets, Keane sees a tough road ahead for “smart, well-funded, entrepreneurs selling solar in the world” who also want to reach the poorest customers. Keane’s call to action includes re-prioritizing and re-focusing on the low-income customers the industry says it's trying to serve.
- Categories
- Energy
-
Why Africa’s Energy Sector Needs Transparency: A Q&A with the Head of KawiSafi Ventures, Acumen’s for-Profit Energy Fund
While investing patient capital into for-profit firms has been Acumen’s MO for decades now, the organization itself has remained a non-profit. But in April, Acumen announced that it was doing something it hadn't done before: creating a commercial investment fund. Called KawiSafi Ventures, the for-profit fund has lined up $70 million to boost clean energy firms – and therefore clean energy access – in East Africa. Managing Director Amar Inamdar explores the fund's focus on scalable businesses, and why debt and equity need to start playing nice with one another in the sector.
-
Bringing Biogas to Billions: Why PAYGO Could be the Key to Scaling the Industry
Small scale biogas digesters (biodigesters) convert animal manure into biogas for clean cooking and high-quality organic fertilizer. The technology is hardly new – in fact, it's been around for 150 years. But for farmers to benefit on a mass scale, companies will need to lean on new technology and innovative business models, writes Ben Jeffreys, CEO of ATEC* Biodigesters International. That means learning the lessons of the off-grid solar industry and devising new pay-as-you-go models to enable the inclusion of low-income customers.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy
-
Renewable Energy Market Employs 11 Million in 2018
Eleven million people were employed in renewable energy worldwide in 2018 according to the latest analysis by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
- Categories
- Energy, Environment
-
Investors With US$2 Billion Urge Donors to Ramp up Support for Mini-Grids in Africa
Specifically, the 12 investors, which have more than US$2 billion under management, said that the missing catalyst for scaling mini-grids was an effective results-based financing (RBF) mechanism.
-
LevelTen Energy Raises $20.5 Million to Simplify Renewable Energy Sales
CEO Bryce Smith says that the fresh capital will be used to expand LevelTen’s product suite in North America and Europe, open its platform to new channel providers, and grow the company’s workforce.
- Categories
- Energy
-
Nigeria’s Unreliable Electricity Costs Its Economy $29 Billion a Year—Solar Power Would Save Billions
This unreliable power supply is a major hindrance to Nigeria’s economic growth. It also costs the country an enormous amount of money.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
How Technology Could Help Rural South Africa Turn Sunshine Into Income
If South Africa positions itself well, it could become a test bed for these technologies and thereby benefit from investments in research and development by major international corporations that have an interest in driving these trial runs.
- Categories
- Energy, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa