Funding and Delivery Models for Modern Energy Cooking Services in Displacement Settings: A Review
ABSTRACT
Cooking with modern energy fuels and technologies has a high potential to positively impact the users’ health and well-being, and make cooking safer and less burdensome for women and girls. To date, there have been numerous interventions targeting improved cooking solutions in displacement settings, but very few which have involved modern energy cooking, such as ethanol, biogas, LPG or electric cooking. They have been largely absent from humanitarian programming due to limited availability, affordability and lack of business models that suit those complex settings. Additionally, energy access services in displacement settings have historically relied primarily on grant-based funding. However, grants are limited to relatively short timeframes which do not align with the long-term needs of the displaced. New ways of funding energy access in displacement settings, and particularly modern energy cooking services, are urgently needed to address the scale of the challenge as the number of displaced surpassed 80 million in 2020, with close to 90% having little or no access to adequate cooking fuels and technologies. In this paper, we review modern energy cooking in displacement settings and the common ways of funding and delivering them. We argue that new ways of funding and delivering energy access in displacement settings are urgently needed to address the scale of the challenge and to facilitate transitions to modern energy cooking fuels and technologies, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 7 and the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’.
Landscape Analysis of Modern Energy Cooking in Displacement Settings
ABSTRACT
Cooking safely and sustainably in forced displacement settings is the longest and most enduring energy challenge in the humanitarian sector. An estimated 70.8 million people are living in situations of forced displacement with 85% of refugees still relying on dirty solid fuels such as charcoal and wood and traditional open fire stoves for cooking. The MECS Landscape Analysis of Modern Energy Cooking in Displacement Settings report has analysed modern energy cooking in displacement settings by identifying the drivers and constraints for the transition from traditional biomass fuels to modern energy cooking, under three main themes: technological requirements; the role of different stakeholders; and policies and financial models. Its aim is to inform the MECS programme strategy and open up a wider discussion within the humanitarian sector. The report has identified five core priority areas of interest for the MECS humanitarian energy stream, namely: opportunities for MECS transitions in urban and peri-urban displacement contexts; MECS in community facilities and humanitarian institutions; innovative financing of MECS in displacement settings beyond grant funding; quality data on energy access and inclusive models of MECS provision in and for the displaced and host communities.
Embedding justice in the 1.5°C transition: A transdisciplinary research agenda
ABSTRACT
Limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C requires transformations in every aspect of our societies and economies. In contrast to 2°C pathways, the 1.5°C target requires even deeper and faster cuts in emissions. While this will bring enormous collective benefits, mitigation action also risks significant disruptions and losses to some groups. In this Perspective, we set out the justice implications of 1.5°C-consistent modelled pathways, focusing on fossil fuel extraction, critical resources, economic impacts and human needs. This leads to the identification of three cross-cutting characteristics of just transitions to 1.5°C-consistent pathways: the inherently politicised nature of transitions; the need to integrate multiple perspectives; and the challenges they present to values and assumptions. We propose a research agenda which recommends ways in which research must be interdisciplinary, integrative of diverse actors and perspectives, and able to robustly test and explore radical ideas if researchers are to rise to the challenge of delivering just transitions to 1.5°C.
Examining the Journey of a Pay-as-You-Go Solar Home System Customer: A Case Study of Rwanda
ABSTRACT
Solar home systems (SHSs) are successfully addressing energy access deficits across the globe, particularly when combined with pay-as-you-go (PAYG) payment models, allowing households to pay for energy services in small instalments. To increase energy access, it is vital to understand the PAYG SHS customer journey in depth. To aid this, the paper presents unique data from active customers, consisting of structured interviews (n = 100) and two focus groups (n = 24) across two districts in Rwanda. These results are presented under a novel customer journey framework, which describes all the individual stages a customer might experience, including awareness and understanding, purchase, usage, upgrade, recommendation and retaining or switching energy source. The paper reveals that the customer journey is non-linear and cyclical in nature, acknowledging that a household operates in a social network within which they could influence or be influenced by others. It also highlights the growing importance of SHS recommendations in raising awareness of SHSs, pointing to the shifts in the off-grid energy market environment where customer awareness no longer appears to be a main adoption barrier.
Mapping synergies and trade-offs between energy and the sustainable development goals: A case study of off-grid solar energy in Rwanda
ABSTRACT
Energy access is crucial for human well-being and poverty reduction. In sub-Saharan Africa, the failure of grid systems to provide electricity access to last mile users has led to the rapid scale up of off-grid solutions. The authors examine synergies and tradeoffs between solar off-grid solutions and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Rwanda which as a nation has successfully implemented innovative solar off-grid systems at scale. This paper is the first to map the relationship between energy and the 169 Targets of the 2030 Agenda in a specific country and sector context by operationalising the framework developed in Fuso Nerini et al. (2018). By doing so, this paper demonstrates the need for context-specific rapid assessment tools to monitor and improve energy access. The paper identifies synergies between 80 (47%) of the SDG targets and off-grid solar systems in Rwanda, thus demonstrating the wideranging benefits and value added through the inclusion of the off-grid solar energy sector in the electrification strategy. The paper demonstrates how mainstreaming off-grid policies and priori-tising investment in the off-grid sector can realise human development and well-being, build physical and social infrastructures, and achieve sustainable management of environmental resources.
Innovation for Off-Grid Solar Rural Electrification
ABSTRACT
Nearly a decade ago, the former UN Secretary General once stated that a technological, business model and policy “revolution [in energy access] not just to reduce poverty, stop climate change, improve global health, and empower women” (Kammen 2011) is critical. Already back then, it was clear that energy access innovations were needed to fill in the gap left by the shortfall in grid connections across countries with low electrification rates. They have since offered an attractive alternative not only to the grid but also to fossil fuel-based decentralized options, such as diesel generators. Choosing cleaner sources has also been driven by the call for climate change mitigation and adaptation, particularly in the most vulnerable countries, many of which lag behind in energy access (Agbemabiese et al. 2012). Given the high contribution of energy systems in the local and global greenhouse emissions, the pursue of low carbon development requires a move away from fossils and toward renewable energy sources. Even though regions such as sub-Saharan Africa have not been responsible for much of the emissions as a result of energy access rates lagging behind, they are in a position to embark on a cleaner and more sustainable pathway from the onset. For the reasons already discussed, off-grid solar solutions have been among the most promising in facilitating that pathway. By tapping into the right mix of technological, business model, financial, and policy innovations, countries striving for universal electrification stand a lot to gain both in the short and long term. These innovations, specifically in the off-grid solar sector, are discussed below.
Towards Sustainable Informal Settlements: A Toolkit for Community-Led Upgrading in Durban, South Africa
ABSTRACT
Across sub-Saharan Africa, 238 million people live in slums or informal settlements. Due to rapid urbanisation and population growth, informal settlements have become a major challenge in the urban landscape, exacerbating issues related to poverty, inadequate infrastructure, housing and poor living conditions. As part of a collaborative interdisciplinary project ISULABANTU, this paper provides an overview of toolkits focused on informal settlement upgrading (ISU) in South Africa and presents the process of an integrated toolkit development for sustainable human settlements in Durban which was informed by participatory action research and co-production strategies. A toolkit can be a valuable and effective way of engaging communities in the process of ISU and for community members to take full ownership of the process, designing strategies which best respond to their needs. The review of existing toolkits has revealed several critical gaps related to community-led practices, integrated approaches to housing and environmental management, and gender. The integrated ISULABANTU toolkit aims to fill these gaps and complement the existing resources. It provides a framework for action research, active involvement of and partnership building with local communities in upgrading practices required to achieve sustainable human settlements.
Barriers and opportunities for participatory environmental upgrading: Case study of Havelock informal settlement, Durban
ABSTRACT
Urbanisation is one of the key challenges of this decade with 68% of the global population likely to be living in urban areas by 2050. This challenge is particularly acute in sub-Saharan Africa where future towns and cities will see an influx of residents living in spontaneous human settlements. As cities struggle to keep up with the speed of growth and spread of informal settlements, associated environmental challenges such as air and water pollution and waste management have been significantly increasing posing a health risk in high density settings. Using the case of Havelock informal settlement in Durban, the authors identified key challenges associated with poor environmental conditions, lack of basic infrastructure, and the implications for settlement upgrading. The study uses mixed methods combining transect walks, priority mapping, seasonal calendar, focus group discussions and household interviews to explore the households' most challenging environmental issues faced daily by informal dwellers. This paper seeks to make the case for targeted participatory environmental infrastructure and management delivery in urban settlements in South Africa. The research also highlights the value of adopting a holistic approach to infrastructure provision to effectively enhance the living conditions of communities. Targeted participatory processes are vital to ensure that holistic infrastructure interventions are acceptable, appropriate and embedded in local communities to create sustainable habitats.
Overcoming the data wall: Harnessing big data to understand the energy needs of off-grid communities and the displaced
ABSTRACT
Innovative technologies and their greater affordability, along with increasingly easier and more affordable access to digital devices have contributed to the transition into the ‘Age of Big Data’. Such data has been embraced by the international community as having the potential to inform global, regional and national development and policymaking. This chapter will specifically focus on how big data may be utilised in addressing the energy access gap by providing new and detailed insights into off-grid and displaced communities – and contribute to filling in one of the critical gaps which is the knowledge of the consumers, their needs and ability to pay for off-grid energy services. This chapter presents a case study of BBOXX’s work in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, and shows how in this environment SHSs can bypass traditional grid infrastructure in favour of smart, decentralised solutions. Data received from these systems proves that even in a challenging setting such as a refugee camp, consumers can be viable and bankable. It should thus encourage private sector involvement in meeting the energy needs of displaced communities in refugee camps.
to climb or not to climb? investigating energy use behaviour among solar home system adopters through energy ladder and social practice lens
ABSTRACT
Solar Home Systems (SHSs) and other off-grid solutions have shown promise in addressing the energy access gap for those with no or unreliable grid services. With that promise comes the expectation to boost socio-economic well-being of newly-connected households, who will continue climbing up the energy ladder. Despite the growing appreciation for the need to go beyond the techno-economics of energy access, and the recognition of the value of socio-technical systems perspective, the wider sociology of energy consumption and behaviour among adopters of off-grid solar solutions has been poorly explored. In this paper, we apply the Social Practice Theory (SPT) and the energy and solar energy ladder framework to analyse energy consumption and the changing social practices of SHSs users in Rwanda. We find that social practices change dynamically and depend on available appliances, whereas energy consumption follows a complex path but does not increase in a linear manner with time or more appliances. Insights can prove useful for public and private agencies working on off-grid electrification, offering a new perspective on the energy and solar energy ladder concepts while also showing the importance of social aspects of energy access even at relatively low levels of provision currently offered by SHSs.
Scalable off-grid energy services enabled by IoT: A case study of BBOXX SMART Solar
Abstract
This case study intends to show how Internet of Things (IoT) technology can be used to tackle development challenges by using the case study of BBOXX- a Solar Home Systems provider operating in South-Western Kenya and across Rwanda, and its SMART Solar platform applied to nearly 20,000 currently active systems. It aims to highlight the benefits of such technology to its users and how it can be utilised to create scalable business models for energy access through improved customer understanding. However, it also shows the difficulties in designing, developing and deploying appropriate technologies in an affordable and impactful way. Similar applications in the water sector are briefly looked at to further explore the potential and the challenges of IoT technologies in driving social and economic development. The case study raises ethical questions about the storage, collection and sharing of data and explores whether the data protection models prevalent in the developed world are applicable in a development context. It offers ideas for future research and policy recommendations, pointing to the need of including financial, socio-economic and ethical considerations in the processes of innovative solutions development.
The potential of performance targets (imihigo) as drivers of energy planning and extending access to off‐grid energy in rural Rwanda
ABSTRACT
Rwanda has one of the lowest electrification rates in Sub‐Saharan Africa and ambitious targets of boosting energy access, with an encouraged private sector involvement. However, barriers such as end‐user awareness and participation in policy and business model design prohibit the pace of rural electrification. A case of Rwanda is analyzed, pointing to the potential of the imihigo (performance contracts) framework. Given the adoption of household‐level performance contracts, which can include energy access, it is proposed they could drive local participation among off‐grid communities. Results of a survey with 218 users of Solar Home Systems in North‐Western Rwanda and from five focus groups show that village‐level energy targets impact on the prioritization of energy target setting among households. Including off‐grid energy options in the imihigo booklets distributed to households could influence awareness raising and allow private sector providers to act in a more targeted way, prioritizing areas with most prevalent energy targets. Additionally, community meetings (umuganda) tied to imihigo offer participatory spaces for information and feedback sharing. These will assist in the design of energy planning and business models, which best fit local needs and respond to the challenges faced by the energy poor.
A RESEARCH AGENDA FOR A PEOPLE-CENTRED APPROACH TO ENERGY ACCESS IN THE URBANIZING GLOBAL SOUTH
ABSTRACT
Energy access is typically viewed as a problem for rural areas, but people living in urban settings also face energy challenges that have not received sufficient attention. A revised agenda in research and practice that puts the user and local planning complexities centre stage is needed to change the way we look at energy access in urban areas, to understand the implications of the concentration of vulnerable people in slums and to identify opportunities for planned management and innovation that can deliver urban energy transitions while leaving no one behind. Here, we propose a research agenda focused on three key issues: understanding the needs of urban energy users; enabling the use of context-specific, disaggregated data; and engaging with effective modes of energy and urban governance. This agenda requires interdisciplinary scholarship across the social and physical sciences to support local action and deliver large-scale, inclusive transformations.
Mapping synergies and trade-offs between energy and the Sustainable Development Goals
ABSTRACT
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development—including 17 interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets—is a global plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. SDG7 calls for action to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Here we characterize synergies and trade-offs between efforts to achieve SDG7 and delivery of the 2030 Agenda as a whole. We identify 113 targets requiring actions to change energy systems, and published evidence of relationships between 143 targets (143 synergies, 65 trade-offs) and efforts to achieve SDG7. Synergies and trade-offs exist in three key domains, where decisions about SDG7 affect humanity’s ability to: realize aspirations of greater welfare and well-being; build physical and social infrastructures for sustainable development; and achieve sustainable management of the natural environment. There is an urgent need to better organize, connect and extend this evidence, to help all actors work together to achieve sustainable development.