6 ways to make energy more affordable, efficient and accessible

The document highlights the critical gap in global energy access, noting that 675 million people lack electricity and 2.3 billion lack clean cooking fuels, with the highest deficits in Africa. To address this, it advocates for a paradigm shift in the energy transition that prioritizes inclusive access, clean and renewable energy for the 'last mile', and integrated programming that links electrification with clean cooking. The author emphasizes the need for gender-responsive solutions, local data-driven planning, and increased global climate finance to support these goals.

• The 2023 SDG 7 tracking report indicates significant global energy deficits, with 675 million people lacking electricity and 2.3 billion lacking access to clean cooking fuels. Africa is the most affected region, containing 17 of the 20 countries with the highest access deficits; specifically, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Tanzania account for 253 million people without electricity, representing 34 percent of the global deficit.
• The author proposes six strategies to improve energy access: broadening the definition of access to include economic productivity; ensuring 'last mile' access is clean and renewable; designing programs that target multiple SDG 7 goals simultaneously (such as linking electrification to clean cooking); engaging diverse actors and women as technicians and entrepreneurs; using inclusive local data for national planning; and leveraging political platforms for global advocacy.
• UNDP's Africa Minigrids Programme focuses on electrification that supports entrepreneurs, companies, and sectors like health and education, with a goal to provide clean energy to an additional 500 million people by 2025.
• There is a critical shortfall in climate finance from developed countries, who have failed to meet their annual commitment of US$100 billion, necessitating more strategic resource allocation and integrated portfolio approaches.

APA

Lou, C. (2023). 6 ways to make energy more affordable, efficient and accessible. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/ways-to-make-energy-affordable-efficient-accessible/

Chicago

Lou, Chibulu. 6 ways to make energy more affordable, efficient and accessible. World Economic Forum, 2023. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/ways-to-make-energy-affordable-efficient-accessible/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Lou |first1=Chibulu |title=6 ways to make energy more affordable, efficient and accessible |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=26 July 2023 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/ways-to-make-energy-affordable-efficient-accessible/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{lou2023ways, author = {Lou, Chibulu}, title = {{6 ways to make energy more affordable, efficient and accessible}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2023}, month = jul, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/ways-to-make-energy-affordable-efficient-accessible/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }