The UN’s Energy Access Practitioner Network celebrated its third anniversary with Uganda’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Irene Muloni giving the keynote address. The over 100-member network and other invited guests showcased the need to achieve universal access to modern energy services by 2030.
Uganda, one of Sustainable Energy for All’s 14 African priority countries still faces challenges in providing access to energy for its entire population. “Hosting our third anniversary celebrations in Uganda helps to highlight the work being done by so many great organizations within the Energy Access Practitioner Network to deliver energy services effectively, affordably and sustainably to households and communities around the world,” said Richenda Van Leeuwen, Executive Director, Energy Access, UN Foundation. “The gathering also serves as a reminder of the challenges to effectively scaling energy access solutions and the resources required to help achieve the global goal of universal energy access by 2030,” said Van Leeuwen.
Currently with more than 1,700 members in 191 countries, the Energy Access Practitioner Network includes a wide range of energy enterprises from start-ups to large corporations, as well as NGOs, investors and researchers. The network’s approach is technology-agnostic in focusing on the delivery of off-grid and micro-grid energy solutions and services, and includes a range of approaches – from small-scale solar lanterns requiring less than a watt of power, to household-scale solar home systems, from biogas digesters to large community-level solar-wind-diesel hybrid micro-grids.
Energy Access Practitioner Network member companies outlined the ways in which the Network has helped their businesses. SolarNow has installed more than 4,800 solar systems in Uganda, using a unique franchise model to address distribution challenges in Uganda and broadly in the East African region.
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