Renewable World has had an extremely full, successful and rewarding year: 2010 was a year of positive transition for the organisation with the establishment of programmes in Central America, East Africa and South Asia that have transformed our ability to achieve change in the lives of extremely poor rural communities. In 2011 we look forward to working more effectively and with greater results, ensuring we are able to enhance, improve and multiply the benefits that affordable renewable energy can bring to isolated poor consumers.
I would like to pay tribute to the impressive contribution of Jo Kelly, Programme Development Director, and Melanie Matthews, Marketing Manager, and the other Renewable World staff in achieving this incredible leap forward in the organisation’s thinking and practical activities on the ground. The staff have worked with determination and enterprising skill to define and enact appropriate and inspiring programme activities in the developing world.
Renewable World has a unique contribution to make to the provision of affordable energy in Africa, Asia and Latin America, which is highlighted by Professor Eric Odada in his thought provoking analysis on the opportunities for renewable energy in the future development of the African continent. We seek to work in communities and with populations where private companies would be unable to provide energy because they cannot charge a price that would enable them to recoup their up-front development and marking costs.
This situation is one of ‘market failure’: Renewable World seeks to stimulate market activity by covering the up-front capital cost of establishing small scale off-grid wind, hydro or solar systems and allowing the ‘owners’ of that system (a community, cooperative or individual to charge for electricity at a price point that is appropriate for poor isolated en-users, typically $2-3 a month. 100% of that income can then be used for the maintenance and upkeep of the electricity source, thus guaranteeing its sustainability over a 20-25 year life time.
I would like to finish by saying that none of the achievements of 2010, nor the implementation of our transformative vision, would be possible without the support of our Friends and supporters in the renewable energy industry. Most notable has been the incredible contibution to Renewable World of Louis FitzGerald, former co-owner of Airtricity, and trade associations RenewableUK and EWEA, headed by Maria McCaffery and Christian Kjaer respectively, who have worked tirelessly to take the organisation to a position where it can achieve real impact in the lives of poor communities. I call upon all those involved in the industry to emulate their contribution in 2011.
If you or your company would like to make a difference to the lives of energy poor communities in 2011 then please contact Marketing Director Melanie Matthews to find out more.