ACCESS TO ENERGY PROJECT

PROJECT OVERVIEW:

Access-to-Energy component is explicitly designed to have a positive human development impact, creating economic and livelihood benefits. It explores emerging opportunities around clean energy from renewable sources as an economic enabler and development priority. It is underpinned by a philosophy that new ideas and models on decentralized renewable energy technologies can spur a whole ensemble of innovations for the provision of energy goods and services to underserved communities. As such, the focus is on Electrical Energy which is renewable, locally-sourced, and sustainable, which can lift people out of poverty.

 

Access to Energy enables people to work their way out of poverty, and can also improve wellbeing, such as through health and education, especially for women and children. The Economic Development opportunities are based on a combination of direct Energy Markets; Technology Markets; Services and indirect support functions. As a result, the strategy is built around an energy vision and plan which captures the priorities of energy access and affordability. This will be pursued through existing tracks from the Energy Efficiency and Renewables work within PIND’s phase 2 of 2015 – 2019, where there are multiple stakeholders and already identified areas of high impact.

 

Pro-poor decentralised renewable energy solutions can be delivered in the context of weak governance, failed markets, and complex social and behavioral norms. PIND’s Access-to-Energy interventions will be immensely beneficial to the rural (riverine) communities of the Niger Delta, as there is a natural focus on traditionally recognised rural livelihoods sectors such as fishing and MSME’s, as well as household level energy demand with a potentially large reach of rural populations.

The general income generating opportunities offered by renewable energy are through potential and actual cost savings, new products, enterprises and services offered around energy access. This aligns with NDPI/PIND’s strategic work to improve economic development in the Niger Delta and also presents an opportunity to showcase the immense contributions towards environmental stewardship.

OUR AIM:
  • To facilitate access to alternative and affordable off-grid energy solutions for rural enterprises and households, using a sustainability delivery model that ensures long-term viability for investors and which boosts local demand for energy services.

OUR APPROACH:
With an estimated 60-70% of communities in the Niger Delta off-grid or lacking frequent supply of reliable electricity, PIND:
  • Engages with private sector actors, community leaders and stakeholders in unserved coastal parts of the region to learn about the opportunities and advantages in energy cabin solar solution for coastal communities.
  • Promote and when necessary co-create beneficial products and services that communities desire to buy and businesses would want to sell, especially those that revolve around Energy Technologies, Training, and Services.
  • Partner and contribute resources to implement a private sector-led business model of the energy cabin solution.
PROJECT UPDATES

SUCCESS STORIES

Beneficiaries of PIND’s Access to Energy interventions in the Niger Delta are: Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, women and children, farming settlements, fishing camps and communities, businesses and trade associations, and households in coastal areas.