Energy blogs
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Who should carry the financial risks in large private sector financed hydropower projects?
17 December 2018New research will examine the risks of funding hydropower and how these risks can be addressed to break down the financing barriers
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Power that changes lives: three lessons from a rural energy champion
19 September 2018Mini-grids are providing rural communities in Tanzania with the energy they need to move beyond powering household appliances, to generating new business and boosting the local economy
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Improving Tanzania’s power quality: can data help?
29 June 2018Ben Garside and Davida Wood discuss whether customer-sourced data can help unpick the problems of electricity supply in Tanzania
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Shining a light on energy consumers in rural Tanzania
12 March 2018Chih-Jung Lee examined what's driving energy use for villagers in Tanzania. In this blog, Lee shares her findings and offers insights to mini-grid developers for meeting diverse consumer demand
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Turning up the volume: five insights into aggregating finance for expanding off grid energy investment
3 November 2017As renewable technology costs have plummeted in recent years, excitement about the off-grid renewable energy sector has exploded. Yet there are still some significant finance barriers to overcome
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Four lessons on communicating ASM stories of change
17 October 2017The artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector has many problems – and good stories are not often heard. Gabriela Flores looks at how effective communications can help mining communities learn about good practices that are being developed by their peers
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How energy can generate growth in Tanzania's rural economy
21 September 2017A workshop in Tanzania explored how off-grid energy can power opportunities for economic growth in rural communities. Guest blogger Basil Malaki reports back
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Dialogues et projets pilotes pour une meilleure gouvernance du secteur EMAPE à Madagascar
15 March 2017GIZ à Madagascar a engagé un processus de dialogue afin d'améliorer la gouvernance du secteur de l'exploitation minière artisanale et à petite échelle (EMAPE). Blogueur invité Andry Rabemanantsoa nous donne un aperçu de leur travail à ce jour au travers de ces images
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Dialogue and action in equal measure
13 March 2017Svenja Brachmann explains how a GIZ programme in Madagascar is promoting more responsible artisanal and small-scale mining
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Powering local development in Tanzania
24 February 2017New research from IIED and Hivos shows the potential for energy entrepreneurs to scale up productive energy use in Tanzania. But to make it work, funders and policymakers need to provide incentives, support experimentation, and encourage collaboration
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Bringing solar out of the shadows
20 February 2017For Tanzania to meet its energy needs - and in a way that is sustainable - huge levels of finance are required to boost its decentralised energy sector. But the latest research shows current funding flows are way off target.
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Electricity supplies in Tanzania: putting people first
13 December 2016With the energy sector expanding, how can the perspectives of local communities and end-users shape future power?
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Should the Green Climate Fund flow to hydropower?
31 October 2016Jamie Skinner discusses whether tightening up standards to minimise social and environmental risks could shift the debate on hydropower
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Four challenges to powering local economies
12 September 2016There has been remarkable advances in energy access for rural households. But building the wider economy requires energy services that power new jobs and enterprises
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The Green Climate Fund: will the vulnerable be overlooked in a rush to spend?
24 June 2016As the Green Climate Fund's board meets to decide on a second round of spending it needs to prioritise initiatives that will reach the climate vulnerable, rather than large-scale business as usual investments
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Clearing the air in Kathmandu
7 June 2016As one of the world's fastest urbanising countries, how can Nepal manage growing demand for transport and electricity, while ensuring clean air?
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Plunging oil prices: what happens to our oceans?
15 February 2016Falling oil prices might be benefiting the UK economy, but are the world's fish stocks paying the price?
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What will speed up the micro-grid revolution?
24 November 2015For investors to have greater confidence in micro-grid electricity generation, more attention needs to be paid to ensuring technology operates well in rural communities
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Feeding into energy access: data-driven funding
14 July 2015Data on rural electricity use in unconnected parts of the world could support new ways of funding renewable technologies, providing access to those who need it most
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What should a no-carbon democracy look like?
13 July 2015Halting planetary warming is fundamental. But as we find safe and affordable solutions to our future society's energy needs, how could we build a world that is more equal and more democratic?
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The flipside of China's shift away from coal
16 June 2015China is quickly reducing its coal use, leading to lower emissions and less air pollution. Maarten Akkerman explores how this shift could adversely impact Vietnam and other countries
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Sharing the load: who pays for energy access?
29 May 2015Finance for off-grid energy is increasing – the big challenge is working out how best to blend public and private investment to deliver energy services for poor communities
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Off-grid energy powered by the crowd
9 April 2015Crowdfunding provides a potential source of funding to improve access to electricity in countries such as India, but financial regulations are a barrier
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Learning the lessons from Chile's energy transformation
23 March 2015The SDGs promise transformational change – but how is this delivered? A new study from RIMISP, a partner of the Independent Research Forum (IRF), looks at how major change came about in Chile's energy sector
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Do you have the power to influence your own life?
6 March 2015IIED is keen to open up dialogue across the mining sector, including the voices of the marginalised. Here, Liz Carlile explores the importance of having a voice