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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Can ASM lead the Africa Mining Vision?
7 December 2017IIED and Tanzanian partners recently hosted a national dialogue on artisanal and small-scale mining in Tanzania. Mkhululi Nkosilamandla Ncube reports on the event, and shares his views of how the ASM dialogue process aligns with his work in promoting the Africa Mining Vision
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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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In pictures: Dialogues and pilot projects for better ASM governance in Madagascar
15 March 2017A pictorial tour of efforts to improve the governance of Madagascar's artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector
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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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Six steps forward for African mining
1 March 2017Reflecting on common themes emerging from Cape Town's Mining Indaba and the Alternative Mining Indaba 'counter-summit', Fitsum Weldegiorgis sets out six ways to keep momentum going, for driving a profitable African mining sector that also delivers for its people
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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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Talking sustainable development in the troubled world of ASM
25 October 2016Fitsum Weldegiorgis explores how artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) can make a positive contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
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ASM dialogue creates ambition for change in Ghana
15 September 2016A dialogue in Ghana presented a unique opportunity to bring stakeholders together and find solutions to realise the potential of small-scale mining
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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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In pictures: a dialogue for action on mining in Ghana
6 September 2016This photo gallery documents the lively conversations about the future of Ghana's artisanal and small-scale mining sector at an "action dialogue" organised by IIED and partners
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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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What makes community engagement meaningful in the extractive industries?
14 March 2016Getting community engagement right – making sure it is ‘meaningful’ – is critical to the social licence to operate for oil, gas and mining projects
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Can mining dig rural women out of poverty in Ghana?
8 March 2016An IIED dialogue with small-scale mining communities discovered women see mining as a source of hope – but that their dreams are seldom realised
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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?