The PowerPath project aligns with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): a framework for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. The 17 SDGs are an urgent call for action by all countries, developed and developing, in a global partnership. They recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth, all while tackling climate change.
PowerPath is set to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and mitigate environmental degradation caused by traditional energy burners such as kerosene lamps and diesel generators as well as biomass cooking charcoal. This aligns with the United Nation (UN)’s SDG-7, for access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, and SDG-13, for the development of sustainable energy practices supporting climate change adaptation.
Through the provision of free, full-time training of four months’ duration, to locals willing to play a part in energy transition, PowerPath facilitates capacity building, supporting technology-transfer, entrepreneurship-training and knowledge-exchange. This empowers local communities, and involves them in the operation and maintenance of the electrification infrastructure, fostering long-term sustainability, and aligning with SDG-9, for building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and fostering innovation.
Stakeholder groups expected to benefit include:
- Over 400 rural households, reaching circa 2,000 people, in the Diana-region of Madagascar – directly gaining from the pilot deployment, with further potential to reach hundreds of thousands more, post-project
- Small local businesses, such as grocery stores, rice-hullers, millers, video kiosks and fisheries, in targeted villages – more than ten directly gaining from the pilot deployment, and thousands more long-term
- Young, rural electrification entrepreneurs due to improved economic opportunities, leading to increased revenues and productivity – more than 5 direct beneficiaries of the pilot demonstration and thousands long-term
- Local government, regulating authorities in the energy sector and international players such as UK Aid Direct, Agence Française de Développement and The World Bank – resulting from knowledge creation which can be used to inform energy policy and the design of energy access support initiatives
- The entire energy access industry – offering a more efficient alternative to conventional AC microgrid and solar home system (SHS) deployment