Our Work
Energy poverty is a devastating reality for three billion people worldwide, that's just over one third of the global population.
Energy poverty is defined as the lack of access to sustainable modern energy services and products.
A lack of affordable, reliable, safe and accessible power severely impacts every aspect of life. It limits economic development and prevents any chance of people seeing an improvement in their quality of life.
Energy is so essential to progress that Goal 7 of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals is to "ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all."
Meanwhile... In other parts of the world, energy is so commonplace and renewable energy technology is becoming so efficient that it is taken for granted and is starting to show us the dark side of green energy. The meteoric rise in wind and solar energy in the West is already causing a "tsunami" of "unrecyclable" trash that countries are totally unprepared to manage.
Areas of Focus:
CIRCULAR ECONOMY in the GREEN ENERGY SECTOR
Solar panels and wind turbines only a few years old, with 90% efficiency and decades of life remaining, are being thrown away and destroyed. 70 million lbs each year of solar panels are being retired each year, 90% of which end up in landfills. The wind industry is also producing waste — creating an estimated 47 million tons of blade waste annually by 2050. We are already seeing the begining of a tidal wave of green technology trash going to landfills. Energy For All will lead the way in building a ciruclar economy in green tech, sending renewable energy infrastructure to where it is needed so that it can be used for the full duration of its lifespan.
ADEQUATE SHELTER: LIGHTING; HEATING; COOLING
Without access to electricity, families are forced to rely on burning dangerous and carbon emitting wood, kerosene lamps & candles to light and heat their homes. Many make the financial choice to go without light altogether, making it difficult to study, work or even cook dinner after dark. In freezing climates it is difficult to the keep the family warm whilst in hot, humid climates and during heatwaves where there is no cool breeze, it is impossible to cool a home without power. This is particularly dangerous for infants and elderly residents who are less able to regulate their temperature and are at increased risk of death. Energy For All will work to address this by working with partners to provide the most vulnerable households with lamps, heaters and fans powered by clean energy.
Photo by Jorge Luis Plata
Image Credit: Clean Cooking Alliance
HEALTH & ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE
Nearly 2.7 billion people – 40% of the world population – lack access to clean cooking facilities worldwide, relying instead on poluting coal, solid biomass, kerosene and wood. Indoors smoke caused by burning these fuels for cooking and heating leads to poor air quality, respiratory problems and stinging eyes. Each year, 3.2 million people die prematurely from illnesses attributable to household air pollution. A clean power source would allow families to cook without inhaling the damaging smoke of burning wood or kerosene.
Power is also essential for local health clinics to be able to store medicines and vaccines in a fridge, and to run equipment such as xray machines and devices that measure vital signs such as heartbeat and blood pressure – without these, villagers must travel miles to get their children vaccinated or to receive their regular medicines and other treatments. Energy For All will work with partners to electrify local health clinics with clean, reliable energy.
EDUCATION
Energy Poverty greatly reduces teaching materials and classroom resources. Without power children don't have the chance to learn how to use a computer or the internet, limiting their education, employment opportunities and chance for a brighter future. It also makes for complicated and time consuming work for teachers and school administration who must document everything on paper. The light and temperature in these schools are entirely dependent on the elements and can make studying very difficult.
To maximise children's opportunities to learn and find future employment Energy For All will partner with local organisations and international partners to electrify schools with clean energy and provide them with computers and other powered teaching resources and aids.
Photo by Jonathan Torgovnik
Image Credit: IRENA
LIVELIHOODS & FOOD PRODUCTION
Income opportunities for families are severely limited by a lack of power.
Power operated tools and equipment would radically increase production and income for those currently doing very labour intensive manual work. It is ​essential if they are to break out of the cycle of poverty they are in.
Energy For All will work with partners to support the most impoverished households and farmers with decentralised renewable energy that can power machines, agricultural irrigation systems, and support micro-enterprises such as wheat flour milling and rice hulling, lathes, sewing machines, potter’s wheels, power looms, cold storage, solar dryers/chillers, carpenters' power tools and so many others.
WATER
Globally, an estimated 785 million people do not have access to a basic drinking water service. This means they must rely on sources like rivers or lakes – prone to contamination – or travel more than 30 minutes to collect drinking water.
Many communities in developing countries also need to rely on rainfall and inaccessible water sources for agricultural purposes. Farmers need to rely on labor-intensive ropes and buckets or expensive diesel or petrol-based water pumping systems to irrigate their crops.
Unlike traditional handpumps, which require a lot of physical energy, solar-powered systems can be used for water storage and can supply water for multiple purposes, making water available to a larger population. This reduces walking and waiting times, saving time and energy for villagers to spend on other tasks.
Energy For All will work with partners to make water readily available at schools, health-care facilities, farms and for entire communities with pumps powered by clean energy.
Image Credit: DIFFUL
Image Credit: Montana on a Mission
ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN & GIRLS
It most commonly falls upon women and girls to do the time consuming and backbreaking work of gathering firewood and other fuels. The lack of access to power hinders child development, women’s advancement and gender equality. A power source would save women and children hours in their day to spend on learning, earning, child rearing or other important tasks. Time spent collecting wood from the bush also impacts personal safety as their risk of exposure to sexual assault, injury and snake bites is significantly increased.​​
Energy For All will work with organisations working to address these issues by transitioning to a clean renewable energy source.
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CLIMATE CHANGE & THE ENVIRONMENT
Worldwide, the collection of wood as fuel has had a devastating impact on the environment and has resulted in mass land degredation and desertification. This means locals need to walk progressively further to find fuel. It also impacts domesticated and wild animals who are losing their food source and habitat. Deforestation has also led to devastating landslides and a loss in soil nutrients.
Carbon emissions as a result of burning wood and other fuels is also devastating our planet and there is now a rush to ensure global temperatures do not rise more than 1.5C to avert an even more catastrophic crisis.
Energy For All will work with organisations that work to reduce carbon emissions and reverse the negative effects of climate change.
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Image Credit:: World Agroforestry Centre - Ake Mamo