Tackling the Energy Access and Development Challenge — Jörg Ankel-Peters
In Pursuit of Development
English - April 03, 2024 04:28 - 45 minutes - 41.7 MBPolitics News News Commentary dan banik africa african politics china democracy development development aid india policymaking poverty Homepage Download Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Many nations around the world are grappling with the challenge of providing reliable and sustainable energy access to their populations. Half a billion people, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia, still rely on biomass for their basic needs, underscoring the urgent necessity for innovative energy solutions. The quest for electrification, especially in rural and underserved regions, is not just about lighting up homes but igniting opportunities for education, healthcare, and economic development. Yet, as we dig deeper, it becomes apparent that the link between electricity access and economic prosperity is nuanced and multifaceted.
Jörg Ankel-Peters co-heads the research department “Climate Change and Development” at RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research in Germany and is a Professor of Economics at the University of Passau. @jrgptrs
Resources
Rural electrification, the credibility revolution, and the limits of evidence-based policyGrid or solar: Looking for the best energy solution for the rural poorDo improved cooking stoves inevitably go up in smoke? Evidence from India and SenegalThe forgotten coal: Charcoal demand in sub-Saharan AfricaKey highlights
Introduction – 00:24The global energy poverty challenge – 03:44The electricity-economic growth relationship – 10:27Expanding the grid versus mini-grids and off-grid solutions– 17:10Health and education impacts of rural electrification– 24:27The charcoal conundrum – 29:07Impact of Rwanda’s Electricity Access Roll-out program (EARP) – 36:32
Host
Professor Dan Banik (@danbanik @GlobalDevPod)
Subscribe: