Access to reliable, affordable, sustainable and safe energy is recognised as an enabler of many development objectives. Yet energy infrastructure is often planned as standalone investment, from a purely economic and technological standpoint and in a top-down way that does not take into account the needs of end users.

Access to affordable and reliable energy enables growth of local economies. And demand for energy ensures feasibility of business models for decentralised energy solutions such as mini-grids.

The off-grid energy sector continues to have a tremendous funding gap. Aggregation has great potential to channel finance into the millions of off-grid projects and products that will make universal energy access by 2030 possible.

Off-grid solutions can be designed to provide affordable electricity to poor communities in hard-to-reach areas but receive only a fraction of annual global investment in energy provision.

Social learning approaches can catalyse knowledge co-creation and action, so have the potential to help solve complex ‘wicked’ problems such as climate change and food insecurity.

Social learning approaches can catalyse knowledge co-creation and action, so have the potential to help solve complex ‘wicked’ problems such as climate change and food insecurity.

E-waste – electrical and electronic waste – is one of today’s fastest growing waste streams. By managing it well, we can recover valuable raw materials and reusable parts, with significant associated emissions savings. But much of its potential is lost when improperly processed by informal and unregulated enterprises.

E-waste – electrical and electronic waste – is one of today’s fastest growing waste streams. By managing it well, we can recover valuable raw materials and reusable parts, with significant associated emissions savings. But much of its potential is lost when improperly processed by informal and unregulated enterprises.

This paper explores the emerging concept of ‘energy delivery models’, looking at the nuts and bolts of how energy is delivered from resource to user, focusing on how to reach the poor in terms of energy access and opportunities in the supply chain.