Tag Archives: mini-grid

COP22, Energy Transition

Decarbonising the Global Economy: Thinking Differently to Achieve a Renewable Energy Future

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Building a renewable energy future will require new ways of thinking about the transformation of energy systems locally, regionally and globally. During a plenary session at the World Climate Summit on 13 November, held on the sidelines of COP22 in Marrakech, Morocco, a diverse panel of speakers discussed the kinds of innovations needed to achieve rapid deployment of renewables – starting now and accelerating deployment through to 2050.

IRENA Director General Adnan Z. Amin introduced the session with the observation that the transformation of the power sector is no longer an issue given that the business case has become so clear and compelling. The greater challenge, he said, lies with finding solutions for transport, heating and cooling, and energy intensive industries. Continue reading Decarbonising the Global Economy: Thinking Differently to Achieve a Renewable Energy Future →

energy access, Publications

Solving the Energy Access Problem with Renewable Mini-Grids

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Until recently, renewable-powered mini-grids were viewed as capable of delivering only basic energy services – for single houses or small communities – but recent technological innovations are changing that perception. Increasingly, renewable energy mini-grids offer a means to meet much larger power needs, including for industry.

Since 1990 energy access has improved and nearly two billion more people have gained access. However, more than a billion people still lack electricity access and another billion have only an unreliable supply. To achieve universal electricity access by 2030, the pace of expansion needs to at least double, and estimates suggest that off-grid solutions will provide roughly 60 per cent of the additional generation needed. Continue reading Solving the Energy Access Problem with Renewable Mini-Grids →

energy access, Events

International Off-Grid Renewable Energy Conference Highlights Changing Energy Access Narrative

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Nearly 600 off-grid renewable energy practitioners and leaders from the public and private sector are gathering in Nairobi, Kenya this weekend for the third International Off-Grid Renewable Energy Conference (IOREC). Organized by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in partnership with the Kenya Ministry of Energy and Petroleum and the Alliance for Rural Electrification, the objective of IOREC is to boost electricity access through the development of off-grid renewables. Continue reading International Off-Grid Renewable Energy Conference Highlights Changing Energy Access Narrative →