UCL-Energy & UCL-ISR seminar: SUSTAINABLE ENERGY DELIVERY MODELS THAT TARGET THE POOREST - Ben Garside, Researcher, Sustainable Markets Group, IIED

Energy access has been a political hot topic in 2012, with the launch of the UN Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative. Analysing some of the expectations versus realities that the private sector will the main deliverer of universal access to energy, Ben Garside will discuss the SE4ALL approach thus far, and lay out some of the principles behind energy delivery models that go beyond business as usual to specifically target the needs of the poor. He will also introduce a conceptual framework that IIED has developed to provide a more in-depth understanding of the socio-cultural, economic, and political factors that influence sustainable energy models that best meet the needs of the poorest.

About the speaker:

With an electrical engineering background and 7 years of experience in the development sector working as a social-scientist, Ben brings a combination of technical and analytical skills to his role at IIED. Aside from leading IIED’s work on the role of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) in development as well as working on a number of agricultural projects, Ben currently works predominantly within IIED’s Energy Team. He is playing a key role in the Nigerian SUNGAS project on decentralized energy provision, and on an energy project in South Africa aimed at building community capacity to make informed energy choices.

Ben has also been building partner capacity on advocacy and “new communication tools” for partners, e.g. in relation to oil and gas development and promotion of renewable energy technologies. He has also been developing ideas and approaches around knowledge management, monitoring and evaluation within the institute as a whole and with partners. http://www.iied.org/users/ben-garside

About the UCL Energy Institute:

Founded in June 2009, the UCL Energy Institute (UCL-Energy) was established as UCL’s response to the global challenges of mitigating climate change and providing energy security in the 21st century. UCL-Energy, which sits within the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment at UCL, brings together different perspectives, understandings and procedures in energy research, transcending the boundaries between academic disciplines. It coordinates multidisciplinary teams from across the University, with the aim of accelerating the transition to a globally sustainable energy system through world-class energy research, education and policy support. www.ucl.ac.uk/energy Follow on Twitter @ucl_energy

About the UCL Institute for Sutainable Resources:

The Vision of the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources (UCL ISR) is a world of globally sustainable resource use. In pursuit of its Vision, the Mission of UCL ISR is to generate knowledge by supporting cross-disciplinary research approaches to promote the globally sustainable use of natural resources, with resources defined broadly to include abiotic, non-renewable resources, such as minerals and petrochemicals, biotic and potentially renewable resources, such as water, soils, forests and fish, and the underpinning natural environment and resource base that produces the whole range of ecosystem goods and services. The relationship between communities and resources is also a key consideration of the UCL ISR. 

UCL ISR has been set up with a generous grant over five years from its Founding Sponsor, charitable foundation of the multi-national mining company BHP Billiton, BHP Billiton Sustainable Communities. http://www.ucl.ac.uk/sustainable-resources Follow on Twitter @UCL_ISR

View the slides from the presentation