Environment and Energy

White Paper for a Regional Policy (2006)

Produced by Member States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Region.  Geared toward Increasing Access to Energy Services for Rural and Peri-Urban Populations in order to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals

Scaling up Modern Energy Services in East Africa (2005)

Report outlining strategies for increasing access to energy services in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals in East Africa.  It offers suggestions for energy interventions, their costs and impacts.

Achieving the Millennium Development Goals: The Role of Energy Services (2004)
Editors: Jem Porcaro and Minoru Takada

This report is a product of a research endeavor to analyze what effects targeted energy services in Brazil, the Philippines and Mali have on the countries’ attainment of MDG goals.

Solar Photovolatics in Africa: Experiences with Financing and Delivery Models (2004)
Editors: Martin Krause and Sara Nordstrom

Lessons for the Future: Issue 2. Explores how to make PV solar systems accessible, affordable, and sustainable to rural people in developing countries.

Generating Opportunities: Case Studies on Energy and Women (2001)
Salome Misana and Gail V. Karlsson

A book of eight case studies drawn from Africa and Asia on energy and women. The book provides concrete examples of how improving poor women's access to affordable and clean energy services can act as an entry point to achieving multiple development objectives. The publication also considers critical aspects of policy and programme design to improve women's access to modern energy services in rural areas.

Energy as a Tool for Sustainable Development for African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries (1999)
Editor: Ugo Farinelli

This report is a joint EC – UNDP initiative which analyses the energy situation of two particular country groupings, Sub-Saharan Africa and Small Island Developing States. It focuses on institutional, legislative and regulatory environments, capacity building, energy pricing, taxes and subsidies, finance mechanisms, information and technology choice.

Energy and Women: Generation Opportunities for Development (1998)

Document outlining the UNDP project aiming to support the initiation of new sustainable energy pilot projects designed to create income-generating opportunities for women in Africa.

Production and Dissemination of Solar Water Heaters, Côte d'Ivoire (2003)

Summary of a project in Cote d'Ivoire which developed local capacity to produce solar water heaters that cost less than imported models. The project was found to have several environmental, social and economic benefits as a result of a cheaper hot water supply.

Shared Solar Panel for Indoor lighting, Côte d'Ivoire (2003)

Summary of lessons learned from a project in Côte d'Ivoire. This project sought to test communal solar PV systems as a low-cost method of electrification for households and public buildings such as health clinics and schools.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Substitution for Wood Fuel in Ghana – Opportunities and Challenges (2004)

This brochure provides a brief analysis of the LPG sector in Ghana. The report highlights the many advantages of LPG use while also identifying barriers preventing LPG availability to increase in remote areas of the country.

Affecting Electricity Policy through a Community Micro Hydro Project, Kenya (2003)

Summary of lessons learned from a community project in Kenya. This project sought to remove the policy, technical and institutional barriers that limited the development and use of renewable energy sources to meet the energy needs of the poor, off-grid communities.

Kenya: Development and Testing of Financing Mechanisms for Solar Electric Equipment in Rural Villages  (1996)

Project brief outlining the proposed test activity to finance mechanisms for solar electric equipments for low/middle income families in Kenya.

Photovoltaic Power to the People: The Kenya Case (1994)

Case study describing the photovoltaic sector in Kenya by outlining domestic policies, markets, costs, support infrastructure and the regulatory environment of photovoltaics. The study concludes with recommendations for governmental policies.

GEF-KAM Industrial Energy Efficiency Project

Project outlines GEF-KAM Industrial Energy Efficiency Project aiming to enhance energy efficiency by removing barriers and increasing institutional capacity in Kenya.

Gender & Energy for Sustainable Development: Fueling the Fight Against Poverty (2005)
Author: Susan McDade

Presentation by Susan McDade as part of Rice University’s “Gender, Development, & Energy” lecture series. Draws on Mali case study to show how energy services can help poverty alleviation and empowerment of women; describes policies that address the energy needs of women.

Reducing Rural Poverty through Increased Access to Energy Services: A Review of the Multifunctional Platform Project in Mali (2004)
Authors: Abeeku Brew-Hammond and Anna Crole-Rees

This report reviews experiences of the multifunctional platform project in Mali and documents how modern energy services affect people’s lives in terms of income, education, and rural women’s status and health.
Also available In French

Linking Women and Energy at the Local Level to Global Goals and Targets (2003)
Author: Ines Havet

Article in "Energy for Sustainable Development," Volume VII No 3. Uses example of multifunctional energy platform project in Mali to show how addressing gender and energy issues can advance the millennium development goals.

Biogas in Peri-Urban Areas, Mali (2003)

This project brief describes lessons learned form a project in Mali. The pilot project installed domestic biogas units in peri-urban zones of the city of Bamako. Wider use of biogas units would help reduce the demand for firewood in peri-urban areas and would supply higher-quality fertilizer for local farms.

Could Just 10 Horsepower Be Enough to Free All the Women of Mali? (2002)
Author: Roger Thurow

A Diesel Engine With Attachments is Driving Ambitions in Poor Villages – This article was published in the Wall Street Journal and describes the positive impact that access to modern energy services through the “multi-functional platform” can have. The multi-functional platform was invented in the early 1990s by a Swiss development worker in Mali who believed that easing the domestic load of African women would unleash their entrepreneurial zeal. Rubber belts connect the motor to tools such as funnels that channel grain and nuts into grinders, blenders that husk rice, pistons that pump water, saws that cut wood and cables that recharge batteries. The machine, simple and sturdy, was tailored for Africa and has had a positive impact on economic growth, education, gender equality and women’s empowerment, and has noticeably improved the quality of life.

Overcoming Rural Women's Poverty with the Multipurpose Platform (1999)

English and French: Describes the project aiming to alleviate poverty among women in rural Mali by introducing a diesel driven multipurpose platform to reduce many of the burdensome and exhausting tasks such as fetching water and grinding cereals.

The Multifunctional Platform Approach: Creating Opportunities for Growth and Empowerment of the Poor
Author: Susan McDade

Power Point presentation uses the Mali Multifunctional Platform as an example to demonstrate in how far the access to energy service can create opportunities for growth and empowerment of the poor and in particular of women in Africa.

Rural Energy and MDG Implementation
Author: Susan McDade

Power point presentation uses the Mali Multifunctional Platform as an example to demonstrate in how far the access to energy service can contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals in rural areas.

Energy and Women: Generating Opportunities for Development: National Consultation Report for Malawi (1999)

Report analyzing the particular energy and development situation of women in Malawi to identify constrains and opportunities in the capacity building of woman, such as involving them in energy systems and entrepreneurship.

Solar-Powered Water Desalination, Mauritius (2003)

Summary of lessons learned from a project in Mauritius. This project developed locally-constructed solar water desalination units and installed them in the remote community of Cite Patate, providing households with improved access to drinking water.

Gender and Sustainable Development: Namibia's Background Paper (1999)

Draft background paper promoting an understanding of the relationship between energy services and poverty alleviation, improvement of status of women, job creation and environmental protection and regeneration.

Desk Study: Review of Sustainable Development in South Africa (1998)
Author: Thabang Motsoasele

Desk report on major sustainable development issues in South Africa including political and economic overview, development challenges, present situation, institutional arrangements and a review of the country’s capacity to implement the Agenda 21.

Energy and Women: National Consultation for Swaziland (1999)
Author:  Mduduzi M. Mathunjwa

Report focuses on the linkage between woman and energy as a means to promote sustainable development. It outlines projects in the energy sector that can be beneficial to women and income generation.

Assessing the Spread of Improved Charcoal Stoves in Urban Areas, Tanzania (2003)

Summary of lessons learned from a study conducted to determine why the production of charcoal stoves had not expanded to meet existing demand. Given the benefits of the stoves, including cleaner technology and reduced costs, the study also looked into why demand was not greater for the stoves.

Biogas Technology in Agricultural Regions, Tanzania (2003)

Summary of lessons learned from a project in Tanzania. This project sought to address technical, financial and informational barriers to the implementation of biogas technology in order to increase incomes, improve home air quality, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Demonstrating Wind and Solar Energy on Lake Victoria, Uganda (2003)

Summary of lessons learned from a project in Uganda where a community group formed a committee to manage the local wind/solar hybrid power station. The station is mainly used to charge batteries in order to meet household energy needs and to aid nighttime fisherman.

Energy Efficiency Improvements in Small, Medium-Sized and Informal Enterprises, Zimbabwe (2003)

Summary of lessons learned from a project in Zimbabwe. The project examined possibilities and benefits of improving energy efficiency in small and medium sized or informal enterprises. Twelve such enterprises were selected.

Photovoltaics for Household and Community Use - TORs (1995)

Terms of References for the International Scientific Technical Advisory Panel (ISTAP) aiming to provide technical backstopping and oversight for the joint Zimbabwe-UNDP-GEF project on photovoltaics for Household and Community Use.

Photovoltaics for Household and Community Use (1995)

Project outline for the Zimbabwe-UNDP-GEF project aiming to improve the dissemination of solar electricity in Zimbabwe's rural areas to address the issue of greenhouse gases emissions and global warming.

Quiet Success Story I: Partner in Development (1997)
Editor: Asako Osaki

Minutes of a meeting between Mr. Noro (Special Advisor of Japanese Affairs) and Dr. Suresh Hurry (SEED/BPPS) on successful energy projects undertaken by UNDP in partnership with the government of Japan in Kiribati, Syria and Zimbabwe.