GVEP

International

Delivering Public Services

Energy
Cambridge 15th November 2006

Sarah Adams
CEO - Global Village Energy Partnership
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International

Global Village Energy Partnership

- UK-based international NGO for poverty reduction
through energy access
- 1400 organisations partners today and 5000 in network
- Focusing on economic development
- supporting the growth of energy SMEs in
developing countries
- partnering with regional banks and private
sector
- Working in Africa, Asia and Latin America
- Working in rural areas but also slums
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International

Global Village Energy Partnership

- Governance: Partnership Board and Board of Trustees
Development agencies: World Bank, UNDP, USAID
Private Sector: Shell Foundation, SELCO…WEC
Governments: Brazil, India
NGOs: Energia
- Funding: mainly Western governments
Netherlands, Sweden, UK
Also the US
New… Russia and private sector
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Energy:
- Key to human development but is not a normal
“product”

- but 2.4 billion people today do not have access

to modern energy services

- 1.6 billion have no access to electricity

- 1.6 million people die each year

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Centralised energy has failed to reach

millions of the poor:

1. Lack of transparency/govt interference

2. Finance but this is not the major problem,
privatisation has not worked
3. Lack of business skills and culture, past efforts
have not been sustainable – grant mentality
4. Remoteness
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Slum areas:
1. Non payment culture, energy theft and crime
2. No go areas – lack of government support
3. Difficult working conditions for employees
4. Uneven service conditions under concession
5. Different business rules have to be applied

Remote areas:
1. Low demand, high cost, no incentive for utilities
2. A range of technologies available but new technologies costly,
appropriate technologies need to be developed together with
capacity to manage these services
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So how can we deliver?

In collaboration:
Development agencies with Governments:
- policy work (laws, regulations)
- some funding, some risk taking
BUT must know their role
Private sector:
- some investment
- CAPACITY
- adapting and innovating
BUT must accept some wider responsibility
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NGOs like GVEP

- Linking institutions to grassroots to support policy changes
- Linking private sector to public sector
- Bringing community outreach
- Informing on a range of solutions
- Growing the SME sector through capacity building and finance

- BUT must work according to business principles

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Energy: Room for everyone

The context is favourable to take the
next steps:
- All partners: growing awareness of climate change and
poverty reduction issues
- Development agencies and governments, recognise
failure of past efforts and growing pressure to act to meet
MDG deadline
- Private sector: growing sensitivity to sustainable
development issues (and image) and costs of climate change
- NGOs: recognise need for accountability and partnership
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International

Thank you!
Sarah.adams@gvep.org