Energy: power that transforms lives

Transcription

1 Energy: power that transforms lives

2 Energy power Today, billions of lives have been enhanced by technologies powered by modern energy from kettles to lamps, cookers to boilers, washing machines to mobile phones. However one fifth of the world s population still live a life without access to modern energy energy that s needed to transform lives. Energy poverty the facts One in six people (1.1 billion) lack access to electricity. Two in every five people (2.8 billion) still cook on open fires without ventilation, exposing themselves and their families to potentially deadly smoke fumes. Over one billion people are served by health facilities that are completely without electricity. Development does not start with goods; it starts with people and their education, organisation and discipline. E F Schumacher, Founder of Practical Action More than 65% of children across Sub Saharan Africa attend primary schools with no access to electricity.

3 Energy access Over a billion people live in the dark, with no access to electricity. And at least another billion only have intermittent access to poor quality electricity. We believe everyone has the right to access the energy they need to have a decent quality of life. But access to technology and its benefits are not fairly shared, so we are working with communities to develop renewable energy technologies using natural resources such as water, wind, sun and waste, which are available in even the smallest and most remote communities. Our approach Practical Action works with poor communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America to build on people s knowledge, skills and experience to create locally appropriate, affordable and long-lasting practical solutions. Our approach is to achieve total energy access for all. We identify what energy resources are available and what people s priority needs are, and then help deliver practical, sustainable technologies, or adapt existing ones. Whether it s bringing power to homes, workshops, schools and health centres from small scale wind generators, solar panels or micro hydro systems, producing biogas from burnt animal dung for cooking and lighting, or finding better, cleaner ways of using fuel efficient stoves to reduce the needless deaths from smoke inhalation. Installing a wind turbine in Nepal Refrigerating vaccines in Zimbabwe These smart solutions will help meet the needs of millions of people without power from these simple technologies, energy access will continue to be a distant prospect for millions of people.

4 Bringing power to remote communities Elsa and her family live in a remote village in the mountains of Bolivia with no access to electricity. Her community live in darkness unable to light their homes, educate their children or operate their businesses. With the support of Practical Action, the community were involved in building a micro-hydro system using water falling from the mountains to generate clean electricity. Access to electricity means they have power for homes, hospital and school. Watch the video to see the switch on and hear what local people think. Clean and safe cooking fuel In Sudan families have no choice but to cook using traditional fuels like wood, charcoal and dung. Each year millions of people die because they have inhaled lethal smoke from cooking stoves and open fires - many of them contracting respiratory infections. Indoor smoke kills more people than malaria, HIV and TB combined. We have replaced traditional fires with Liquid Petroleum Gas stoves (LPG), which cook faster and reduce the level of indoor smoke by 80%. Elsa in Bolivia Randa with LPG stove in Sudan

5 The future seems bright In Chikwawa, Malawi we are working with 6,000 women, men and children, to install solar power mini grids that will provide renewable and affordable electricity to homes, schools, clinics and small businesses. The energy produced can also help to power solar irrigation systems to provide constant access to nutritious foods. With extra food reserves, I know my children will have plenty to eat. Edith Willison Edith a smallholder farmer lives with her family in Chikwawa. Her community has no access to modern energy and is unable to be connected to grid electricity. Edith and farmers like her are dependent on their crops to feed their family. They rely on a labour intensive treadle pump to irrigate the crops and have to spend 6 7 hours every day manually working the pump to bring water to the surface. By using solar panels to power the pump the farmers can draw water from deeper depths freeing them from the burden of hours of manual labour. The water is pumped to a storage tank where it s fed by a piped trickle irrigation system, straight to the roots of the crops. With the time saved Edith will be able to double the land she farms, increase her crops and sell the surplus to earn an income. Solar irrigation system

6 People s voices to the debate Practical Action believes that access to energy can transform lives. But achieving energy access for all requires local, national and international action. Practical Action is proud to work with the United Nation s Sustainable Energy for All initiative which is bringing together governments, private sector and communities, to enable Universal Energy Access by Through our work experience, and innovative work in partnership with other organisations, we are bringing the people living in energy poverty to the debate, ensuring the voices of the poorest people get heard to achieve outcomes that genuinely meet the needs, and change the lives, of poor people. Practical Action s policy and influence work contributes to long-term change for poor people. For more information visit: energy/sustainable-energy-for-all Micro hydro system in Peru Find us online, just search for Practical Action While stories in this leaflet are true, names and photos have been changed to protect the identity of individuals. Photography: Practical Action Nepal, Rakesh Shrestha, Andy Heath, Practical Action Bolivia, Ella Jolly, Ana Castaneda Printed on paper made from sustainable resources. Reg Charity No