The programme is as follows:

11.00 Introduction to the webinar

11.10 Steven Hunt – Practical Action
Steven Hunt discusses Practical Action’s recently launched Poor People’s Energy Outlook 2012, which supports the 2030 goal by helping to better define the dimensions of energy poverty, and the range of solutions needed in order to combat it. It shines a spotlight on energy access and its impact on the ability of the world’s poorest people to earn a decent living – via new opportunities, improving existing opportunities and saving time for other activities
Practical Action believes that expanding energy access can happen to an extent via market based mechanisms, but we also think that the catalytic effect of energy access at the level of households also means that it should be a focal issue for government and donor prioritisation.

11.15 Jonathan Bamber – ToughStuff
The supply of energy represents an important employment sector with great potential for growth if universal energy access is to be achieved. The 2.7 billion people without modern cooking fuels, and 1.4 billion people without electricity are a massive market for modern energy products; private sector activities are an essential component of reaching this market by 2030.
Although both centralised and decentralised sources of energy supply have an important role, in general, decentralised systems have more direct impact on the ability of local people to earn a living through the supply and maintenance chain.
Solar PV products designed for base of the pyramid customers can provide a range of energy services, not only lighting but such as mobile phone charging and powering radios. ToughStuff is an example of a company with an affordable and highly desirable solar product and an ambitious business model.
ToughStuff’s model of partnering with local businesses, micro-finance institutions and NGOs enables their product to reach rural areas, and be affordable through innovative payment schemes.

11.20 Soma Dutta – ENERGIA
Access to energy gives people the world’s poorest people the ability to earn a decent living via new opportunities, improve existing opportunities and save time for other activities. Soma Dutta discusses how energy access helps women save time and how it enables them to also earn an income. 

11.25 Marlis Kees – GIZ
Agriculture contributes significantly to the economic and social makeup of the vast majority of developing countries. Improved agricultural practices are a priority for tackling poverty today and for meeting future generations’ needs. But this requires a range of energy services at each step of the agricultural value chain from production, processing and post-harvest, to distribution and retail.
Access to energy services can enable a smallholder farmer to increase productivity, improve processing and earn more from produce. For poor farmers to achieve these goals (and realise higher incomes as a result) requires improved quality and affordability of energy supplies, an increase in the amount of energy used, and access to a wider range of appliances providing energy services.

11.30 All – questions and answers (managed by the facilitator)

11.55 Facilitator to summarise and close the webinar

For more on this theme, read the 2012 report, and explore our interactive infographic on energy and earning a living.

For any further information on this event, please contact Gemma Hume, Communications Officer: gemma.hume@practicalaction.org.uk