Energy for Displacement: Understanding the Challenges

Briefing & working papers

In this first issue of the HEED Briefing Series, we explore outstanding challenges facing energy provision for displaced populations. Experts from different backgrounds are in general agreement that energy provision is something of a newcomer to the standard ‘package’ of humanitarian assistance and service provision for displaced populations. Whereas services ranging from mental health, education, water, sanitation and many others are often integrated as a matter of course, and clusters of dedicated NGOs exist to provide these, the idea of providing dedicated energy services in this context is quite new. This is particularly true when looking at low-carbon energy solutions, such as biogas through anaerobic through anaerobic digestion and power through solar PV. Few academic or policy papers have been written, and little data exists.

As interviews and written contributions in this first HEED Briefing Paper make clear, however, there are strong indications that this is beginning to change, with a growing tide of bottom-up and top-down endeavours under way.

To cite: Grafham, O., Mattia Vianello, M., Rosenberg-Jansen, S., Harnmeijer, J., and Crawley, H. (2018) Energy for Displacement: Understanding the Challenges. Humanitarian Engineering and Energy for Displacement. Coventry University

Download Briefing Paper Energy for Displacement – Understanding the Challenges pdf here.

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