The Africa-EU Energy Partnership recently held its Second High Level Meeting and, according to SciDev.net (“Africa awaits an energy revolution”), the discussions in the corridors are focusing on off-grid energy, a welcome development.
Coordination and partnerships were chief concerns among industry leaders and policymakers alike. Bringing energy to rural areas of developing can have positive impacts on health, education and other crucial areas.
Smart Villages shares these goals and seeks to build a dialogue between stakeholders who rarely have the opportunity to interact and develop plans together. As the article notes, investment is crucial.
However, several challenges remain: how can entrepreneurs access this investment and finance their projects? How can smaller but scaleable projects acquire financing when larger, more expensive projects remain the priority of many investors? Which technologies will be best for investment – mini-grids for communities as some say or other technologies at the household level?
The quote utilised for the title was stated by Nestor Mwemena Kamabwe, president of the Societe Africaine de Developpement Rural in the SciDev.net article.
