Stories

Stories are what make the world and inspire the imagination. We have collected, and continue to add, stories about energy access and rural development around the world, as well as the latest updates and thoughts from our own projects and activities.

Opportunities in Bario made me want to come home to Malaysia

What questions does the typical fifteen-year-old city Malaysian ask? ‘Should I look for a job this school holiday?’ ‘What do I want to do in the future? Go into business or work for someone?’ ‘Should I pick the science or art stream for school next year?’ ‘Should I continue my tertiary education locally or overseas?’ …

Opportunities in Bario made me want to come home to Malaysia Read More »

DAREnterprisers harnesses East Africa’s impetus for change

DAREnterprisers is run by Cambridge University based volunteering group Cambridge Development Initiative (CDI)—a student run organisation that prides itself on its on-the-ground decision-making and human centred design. The CDI partnered with Smart Villages and others to address growing youth unemployment in East Africa, taking advantage of the impetus for economic change and growth in the …

DAREnterprisers harnesses East Africa’s impetus for change Read More »

What do Perovskites mean for the Photovoltaic Industry?

I once visited my local newspaper printing press. The machinery was immense. Two tonne rolls of paper were fed continuously into the ink rollers at fantastic speed. Conveyer belt contraptions whizzed partially folded newspapers around the factory with a frenetic industriousness. The whole apparatus would spit out 12 newspapers a second. Now imagine that it …

What do Perovskites mean for the Photovoltaic Industry? Read More »

More applied research, news needed on off-grid ‘smart villages’

Ed- How can science and research help bridge the gap in energy access for some 1.3 billion people living in off-grid communities worldwide? Anna gives her report after attending the Smart Villages Seoul Media Workshop. A potential solution lies in mapping on-ground activities of prototype ‘smart villages’ that use off-grid electrification solutions to deliver energy, …

More applied research, news needed on off-grid ‘smart villages’ Read More »

EU drive energy access through ‘blending’ grants

The European Union has unveiled plans to support new energy schemes in Africa. The partnership with Paris-based private equity firm Astor Capital Partners will support around 20 SME’s involved in off-grid and decentralised energy production. The Electricity Access Fund aims to invest €55 million over five years, with €10 million of the fund’s capital coming …

EU drive energy access through ‘blending’ grants Read More »

Tracking the growth of off-gid renewables

Off-grid renewable energy systems are expanding rapidly on the ground to service the needs of more than one billion people worldwide who lack access to electricity. Change is driven by declining costs and increasing performance for small hydro installations, solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind turbines, as well improved technologies for electricity storage and control. However, …

Tracking the growth of off-gid renewables Read More »

Sexual Violence against Women and Girls: Is Energy part of the Solution?

“It was a degrading life full of humiliation and shame. We were often victims of rape and beatings by the hoodlums who hid themselves in the forest”  ̶  (An Ethiopian fuel wood carrier, Panjwani, 2005). Energy provision and sexual violence appear to be distant problems. However, with the possible exception of rural energy supplies in …

Sexual Violence against Women and Girls: Is Energy part of the Solution? Read More »

A long climb to energy access: an off-grid success story

Claudia Canales, a Smart Village Project leader describes her visit to the remote community of  Amaguaya, recently in receipt of energy from a newly constructed micro-hydro plant. The visit was in preparation for a Workshop to be held in the Bolivia later this year – ed. I was fortunate to arrive in Bolivia a few days earlier than the rest of …

A long climb to energy access: an off-grid success story Read More »

PM Modi brings Smart Villages to India

In his maiden Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Modi took the opportunity to announce the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (Parliamentarian’s Model Village Scheme). Since coming into office, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has wasted no time in pushing through reforms to modernize India’s economy. His speech stressed the importance of undertaking similar efforts in rural …

PM Modi brings Smart Villages to India Read More »

What is a ‘smart village’? Experts weigh in…

What is a ‘smart village? How can we ensure that people in rural villages have access to energy, connectivity, education and jobs? Hear from experts in the fields of energy, science, entrepreneurship and finance, including the Tanzania Renewable Energy Association, the Tanzania Academy of Science, Practical Action, Solar Aid, Global Village Energy Partnership, the Swedish …

What is a ‘smart village’? Experts weigh in… Read More »

Off-grid energy takes centre stage at Asia conferences

Ahead of the next Smart Villages workshop focusing on the ASEAN region, we (Dr Heather Cruickshank and Molly Hurley-Depret) traveled to Manila to attend two recent conferences focusing on Asia and energy: the International Off-Grid Renewable Energy Conference and Exhibition  (IOREC) and the Asia Clean Energy Forum 2014 (ACEF), held 16-20 June at the Asian Development Bank  in Manila, Philippines. …

Off-grid energy takes centre stage at Asia conferences Read More »

Jugaad innovation – Dr Jaideep Prabhu

Dr Jaideep Prabhu of the University of Cambridge describes ‘jugaad innovation’, “a frugal and flexible approach to innovation for the 21st century.” This type of innovation can provide affordable solutions for low-income communities and is also being adopted in the West.  http://jugaadinnovation.com/

Overview of Smart Villages Arusha Workshop

Dr Bernie Jones

In this video, Dr Bernie Jones describes the aims of the Smart Villages workshop in Arusha in June 2014.  The workshop aims to bring together leaders in the area of off-grid village energy, including poilcymakers, NGOs, entrepreneurs and other experts.  

Smart Villages: Learn about our initiative

Dr Bernie Jones

Dr Bernie Jones gives a brief overview of the aims of the Smart Villages initiative, particularly its focus on off-grid village energy in Africa, India, Southeast Asia and Latin America.

Scroll to Top