Energy for All

New Member: FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Fely — Tue, 15 May 2012 03:11:44 +0000

Over the past 60 years FAO has worked with governments and rural communities in Asia and the Pacific to strengthen regional agriculture systems and ensure that people have regular access to sufficient, high-quality food for active and healthy lives. Without access to electricity and sustainable energy sources, communities have no chance to achieve food security and no opportunities for securing productive livelihoods that can lift them out of poverty. As a result, FAO is working to encourage better energy access for rural communities and more “energy-smart” agri-food systems.

Activities on Energy for All: Recently FAO has been investigating the potential to replicate regional examples of “Integrated Food and Energy Systems” that facilitate the simultaneous production of food and energy through sustainable crop intensification and improved resource efficiency. Also, to coincide with the International Year for Sustainable Energy Access for All, FAO has launched the Energy Smart Food for People and Climate (ESF in short) Multi-Partner Programme Initiative, which aims to encourage action to improve energy efficiency, increase the use of renewable energyand improve access to modern and sustainable forms of energy through integrated food and energy production along the agri-food chain.

Contributions to Energy for All: FAO seeks to work with other E4All partners to develop regional and national policies, strategies and pilot initiatives, combined with improved knowledge development on ESF that will encourage wider adoption of energy-smart food systems in the region.

Contact:

FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Beau Damen
Email: Beau.Damen@fao.org
Country – Thailand

Green Energy for a Billion Poor – A Winning Model for Social Business

Fely — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:10:46 +0000

Green Energy for a Billion Poor reveals for the first time the story of Grameen Shakti, uncovering its remarkable growth, its pioneering philosophy and its unparalleled entrepreneurial approach to business. Readers will trace Shakti’s evolution in rural Bangladesh – one of the toughest business environments in the world – while learning how they can adopt and adapt the Grameen Shakti way to their own organizations. By understanding and embracing Shakti’s innovative business model, readers will learn how they can replicate Shakti’s success in a scalable way, showing them how to profit by thinking long-term, providing full service, and bringing green energy and jobs, hope and prosperity to millions of villagers.

Green Energy for a Billion Poor illustrates the possibilities in the untapped market of billions of rural customers in developing countries who are deprived of electricity. The analysis and description of a unique business model, combined with the authentic stories of those who made it happen, make this a compelling, insightful and entertaining book.

The author Nancy Nancy Wimmer has been involved with the Grammen Shanti Bank in 1990 and in Grameen Shakti since its inceptioni n 1996. She is an entrepreneur, researcher and advisor to the World Council of Renewable Energy and specializes in microfinance and rural electrification.

Click here for more information about the book.

Learning from emerging energy innovations in Asia: Contributing to the discourse on an institutional framework for sustainable development

Fely — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:11:33 +0000

This study has been undertaken by TERI and IGES supported by AEI, Energy for All Initiative and the ADB and it focuses on what Asia has to offer by way of practice in addressing energy access and expansion of clean energy to the international dialogue on an institutional framework for sustainable development (IFSD).

The challenge of energy access has paved way for many opportunities especially in the clean energy sector. The large population of energy unserved in Asia is also transforming the region into adopters of various energy interventions at the grassroots level based on clean energy technologies at low costs. Biomass gasifiers, solar, wind and small hydro are some of the energy technologies that have led to significant changes in many countries.

The study examines selected examples that demonstrate project and policy innovations in the energy sector, including the energy access and clean energy initiatives of SELCO in India, and the policies and programmes that have been influential in policy diffusion or have high potential for influencing future policy processes for promoting clean energy and providing energy access such as Nepal’s Biogas Support Programme, and many more besides.

Energy for All Investor Forum 2012

Fely — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:30:19 +0000

ADB’s Energy for All will hold the 2nd Investor Forum on 4 June 2012 as one of the pre-forum events of the 7th Asia Clean Energy Forum, which will be held at the ADB Headquarters in Manila, Philippines. ADB’s Energy for All Program aims to provide energy access to 100 million people in Asia and the Pacific Region by 2015 by building a platform for cooperation, exchange, innovation, and project development.

The Asian Clean Energy Forum is an ADB’s annual flagship event that serves as the premier knowledge sharing platform for learning and exchange of experiences on key issues and latest developments in clean energy. This year’s forum which is scheduled on 4-8 June 2012 will focus on Sustainable Energy Development.

Click here to download the Investor Forum brochure.

ADB to Help Finance Rajasthan Solar Power Plant

Fely — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:24:17 +0000

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will lend $103 million to Reliance Power Ltd. to help finance a solar plant in Rajasthan state that will power homes and businesses in India and help bring the country closer to its ambitious solar power generation goals.

The plant will be one of the largest solar plants in India, and the loan marks ADB’s first-ever financing for a concentrating solar power project.

India aims to have two gigawatts of installed solar power generation capacity by 2013, 10 gigawatts by 2017, and 20 gigawatts by 2022.

Read full story here.

New Member: Punam Energy Pvt Ltd (ONergy)

Fely — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:46:44 +0000

Punam Energy Pvt Ltd (ONergy) is a renewable energy enterprise established in Kolkata (2009), led by a strong mission to provide solar energy to 1 million lives by 2016. ONergy is led by a team of young professionals and has won various awards and been recognized by institutions such as IIM, IIT, TiE and internalltionally by Yale University, Sanata Clara University etc.

Activities on Energy for All: ONergy teams’s work has been covered in over 100 media articles – print and digital globally. ONergy provides sustainable energy solutions and services to under-served households and businesses. ONergy aims to empower its customer by providing a complete package of product, service and consumer financing through Grameen banks, cooperative societies, commercial banks and micro-finance institutions. ONergy is providing complete energy solutions, by creating an ecosystem – to manage the needs, aspirations and resources of BoP beneficiaries, and applying appropriate renewable technology solutions effectively and creatively. ONergy creates a unique full service distribution infrastructure by establishing Renewable Energy Centres and operates through a network of trained rural entrepreneurs making it decentralized, sustainable and scalable. ONergy currently employs about 20 employees and has installed over 10,000 solar systems since inception.

Possible contributions to Energy for All: Share lessons on the field and participate in projects intiaited by ADB.

Contacts:

Punam Energy Pvt Ltd (ONergy)
Vinay Jaju
Email – vj@ONergy.in
Country – India

Nepal’s Pioneering ‘Renewable Energy Village’ Switches On

Lara Born — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 03:11:31 +0000

Nepal’s Pioneering ‘Renewable Energy Village’ Switches On Asian Development Bank and its Energy for All Partnership, backed by Government of Nepal and the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre provide renewable energy to remote villages far from Nepal’s national electricity grid. Based on a pilot project providing solar cookers, biogas and solar dryers, remote villagers have now access to electricity using small wind and solar PV resources.

See video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SkdZkRz6Cg&feature=player_embedded#!

WWEA releases small wind world report

Fely — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:13:11 +0000

In the occasion of the 3rd World Summit for Small Wind during the New Energy fair in Husum (Germany) on 15 March 2012, WWEA released the first Small Wind World Report. For the first time, data about the status of small wind turbines all over the world has been gathered and published.

The report indicated that there are a total of 656,000 units of small wind turbines installed all over the world as of the end of 2010 representing a total capacity of und 440 MW (end of 2010), compared with a total capacity of 240 GW of large wind turbines. The largest share of the small wind turbines can be found in two countries, China (450’000 units/166 MW) and the USA (144’000 units/179 MW), followed by the medium sized markets with 2-22’000 installed units and 5-50 MW total capacity: UK, Canada, Germany, Spain, Poland, Japan and Italy. In 2020, WWEA expects that the total installed small wind capacity will reach 3’800 MW, representing an almost tenfold increase compared with 2010. The market for new small wind turbines will have a volume of around 750 MW in the year 2020.

Today, more than 330 manufacturers of small wind turbines have been identified in 40 countries on all continents, and another estimated 300 companies are manufacturing equipment for the small wind industry. Most of the manufacturers are still small and medium sized companies. More than half of these manufacturers can be found in only five countries, namely in China and the USA, as well as in Germany, Canada and the UK.

SNV in need of RE International Senior Advisor

Fely — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:00:33 +0000

Are you interested in joining an organisation with a long term commitment to fighting poverty? Would you like to work in a challenging environment and develop an international career focused on demonstrating shared core values that achieve results?

SNV Cambodia is in need for a short-term Consultant/Senior Advisor Renewable Energy (RE) to support the National Biodigester Program. For more information about the requirement please click here.

SNV works in the agricultural (AFP), renewable energy (RE) and water, sanitation & hygiene (WASH) sectors. In Cambodia, RE sector aims to expand rural households’ access to affordable, clean and renewable domestic energy and to develop the capacity of local organisations to achieve a sustainable biogas sector. We provide advisory support to the National Biodigester Programme (NBP) to develop a commercially viable biogas sector and install biogas plants for households who are willing to invest.

Call for Zayad Future Energy Prize 2013

Lara Born — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 07:05:26 +0000

The Zayed Future Energy Prize calls attention to innovation, long-term vision, and leadership in renewable energy and sustainability. The Prize for 2013 will award a total of US$4 million across five categories: (i) Large corporations; (ii) Small and medium enterprises; (iii) NGOs; (iv) Lifetime achievements (i.e., of individuals); and (v) Global high schools (i.e., high schools in five world regions). The closing date for applications and nominations is 16 July 2012. Details at: http://www.zayedfutureenergyprize.com/en/application-process/terms_and_condition/