Invisible Market: Energy and Agricultural Technologies for Women's Economic Advancement

This research explores what it takes for technology initiatives, specifically in the energy and agricultural sectors, to reach and economically benefit women in developing countries through market-based strategies that have the potential for achieving scale and financial sustainability. It builds on ICRW's landmark paper, Bridging the Gender Divide: How Technology Can Advance Women Economically, which made the case for how technologies can create pathways for strengthening women's economic opportunities. Through a field-level investigation and interviews with experts, the authors examine how women's use of technology and their involvement in the development and distribution of a technology can not only advance women economically, but also can benefit enterprise-based technology initiatives by expanding their markets and helping them generate greater financial returns

Gender Equity and Renewable Energies : Thematic Background Paper

The aim of this paper is to review existing evidence on the role of renewable energies in bringing gender equity. The paper first explores the evolution of thinking on gender and energy, in particular that practitioners no longer specifically focus on women and stoves (often referred to as “household energy”). Next, the reasons why gender analysis can help those people trying to increase the dissemination of renewable energy technologies are presented. There is a brief description of the gender aspects of household energy, and how different renewable energy technologies can contribute to drudgery reduction and time saving, particularly for women. The role of women in renewable energy is analysed. The paper concludes with an analysis of lessons learnt and recommendations. However, the point has to be stressed that there is now only beginning to emerge information about gender and energy in the South, and there is very little information about the situation in the North. The data that are available are primarily in the form of case studies, mainly related to stoves programmes and rural electricity grid extension. The systematic collection of gender-disaggregated statistical data by energy ministries does not occur and it is very rare to find energy project evaluations that use gender analysis. This means that much of the analysis should be seen as only as indicative, although this does not invalidate the recommendations since many of these are linked to the general situation of women having fewer assets than men

Small-scale energy systems on a large-scale in developing countries

This paper reviews the barriers to large-scale use of small-scale energy systems. It places the review in the context of the size of the challenge both in terms of the numbers of people who still need access to modern energy carriers and in the levels of finance to provide this access. It concludes that the main problems related to access are not technical but are motivational, financial and institutions. The paper provides examples from around the world as to how these issues have been addresse

Energy for Development: The Potential Role of Renewable Energy in Meeting the Millennium Development Goals

This report identifies renewable energy options that are currently in wide use in some regions and that are now ready for large-scale introduction in many areas of the developing world. Through 26 case studies, the report cites biogas, small hydro, solar, wind, ethanol, and biodiesel, among other technologies, as viable options for poverty alleviation in developing countries.As their cost has declined and their reliability has improved, renewable energy technologies have often emerged as more affordable and practical means of providing essential energy services. Although the strongest renewable energy growth has been in grid-connected power systems and liquid fuels for transportation, several technologies are well-suited to providing modern energy services for low-income people. Scaling up a broad portfolio of renewable energy options can make a major contribution to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, concludes the report.The creation of REN 21 was sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. Formally established in Copenhagen in June 2005, REN 21 is now supported by a steering committee of 11 governments, five intergovernmental organizations, five non-governmental organizations, and several regional, local and private organizations

Assessing the role of solar home systems in poverty alleviation : case study of Rukungiri district in Western Uganda

Not only does Sub-Saharan Africa have the highest number of people who live below the poverty line, the region has the lowest rate of modern energy access at 32%. The provision of modern energy access in rural un-electrified areas has the potential to contribute to alleviation of poverty. The main objective of this study has therefore been to investigate the impact of Solar Home Systems (SHSs) in poverty alleviation in Uganda. The paper focuses on the impact on four socio-economic categories namely: economic, education, health and gender equity. Our study was carried out in Kebisoni, Uganda. The main finding from our study is that access to solar power does indeed alleviate poverty. The data indicated an increase in households' disposable income due to the use of solar energy for lighting. Savings were generated from a reduced expenditure on alternative lighting fuels such as kerosene. Some households used these savings to meet medically related expenses. Furthermore, our results revealed that there was an improvement in indoor air quality. Children in solar electricity connected households benefited, as they were now able to increase their hours of study at night. Lastly, the study also revealed that access to lighting from SHSs enabled women to supplement household income by engaging in businesses

Gender as a factor in delivering sustainable energy

This paper reviews the role of energy in contributing to the solution of a major development objective: moving people out of poverty. Understanding gender issues, especially the crucial role women play in household energy provision, is important in the design and implementation of appropriate energy interventions. The role energy plays in improving women’s lives and the role women can play in providing energy services is reviewed. Some indictors of success factors for sustainable energy interventions are identified based on recent field experience

Speaking Truth To Power: Why Energy Distribution, More Than Generation, Is Africa's Poverty Reduction Challenge

This paper revisits the roles that energy plays in poverty reduction. First, while energy does not reduce poverty itself, it delivers energy services. These services can improve poor people's welfare both directly by enhancing their own productivity, education and health, and indirectly by changing the economy around them. The paper provides a simplified framework for thinking about these energy services, and then reviews the literature on their importance to poverty reduction. From this framework, we draw a series of three important conclusions about energy priorities and their implications for poverty reduction and development.Tackling energy poverty will have less to do with ambitious expansion of electricity capacity, and more to do with ambitious distribution of energy services to poor people.Expansion in centralized power generation serves industry, the services sector and already-connected households, before it serves the poor.Distributed, clean energy interventions are best suited to tackling energy poverty -- and poverty more generally

Mapping of Climate Smart Programming in Refugee Hosting Districts in Uganda

This non-standard helpdesk report maps out current climate-smart programming in Uganda’s refugee settlement regions, with a focus on water source protection, waste management, agroforestry, agriculture and energy. The main body of this report provides an outline of the findings of the mapping exercise and highlights the key organisations (donors, multilateral organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)) working in the priority areas of environment and climate. A brief summary is also provided for each focus area on key programmes and insights (where found). A table with more detailed information on the organisations and their programmes/interventions (such as implementation dates, implementing partners, description of activities) is provided in the Annex at the end of the report. Programmes that explicitly mention refugees, displaced people or specific refugee settlements were the focus of this review; other broader environment or energy programmes for Uganda were mostly omitted. Furthermore, programmes did not always make mention of “climate-smart” specifically but referred to climate change considerations and sustainability. An in-depth, comprehensive and systematic survey of programmes was beyond the scope of this rapid review. Therefore, this review is not exhaustive, and is only able to present information that is publicly available and in existing analyses. Due to these limitations this review is only able to provide a general overview of programmes and incomplete information on the effectiveness of interventions. The research for this report has methodically examined key multilateral donor websites and bilateral donor websites for information on refugee programming in Uganda. The review has focused on programmes currently being implemented or that have completed in the last year or so. There may be projects that are in the pipeline of institutions but not yet approved, which were also not included. Due to the specific nature of this review, the main sources of information used were the websites and internal documents from donors and organisations working on humanitarian efforts in Uganda. Evaluations of the effectiveness and impact of programmes in particular were lacking. NOTE: This report contains an Annex: Climate smart programming in refugee hosting districts in Uganda – key players and interventions

Access to Energy and Human Development

human development, climate change