The Paris Agreement signaled our global desire to increase the use of renewable energy, which becomes more affordable and accessible every day. Yet energy poverty keeps 2.3 billion people in need. A third of our global population is simply left in the dark.
Subsidies targeting energy poverty alleviation exist, but investments often do not focus on the greatest needs. Partnerships have formed to address the issue, but linkages between corporations and other sectors remain weak. Change is occurring at a transactional level, without the sectoral alignments needed to bring new innovations to market. Mini grids provide some light at the household level but fail to connect to larger communities to ensure scale.
How might we increase access to energy—uniting the needs of local communities without power with those of utility companies that provide energy? How might we unite the private, public, and social sectors to ensure consistent investment to reduce energy poverty? How might we ensure that power can be delivered to those who need it today? How do we ensure we can all finally connect?