How effective is UK aid in supporting community-led energy? MPs examine
On Tuesday 24 June, the International Development Committee continues its inquiry into UK aid for community-led energy, as it holds an evidence session examining how effectively UK aid supports community-led energy access, and the challenges and opportunities involved.
In the last session, Chief Executive of Practical Action Sarah Roberts said that community energy projects have the power to be ‘transformative’, but around 750 million people globally still lack access to electricity, with ‘a whole suite of people who are left behind, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa’.
The session will explore what more the UK Government could be doing, and how best to support FCDO’s partners, particularly those funded by the £1 billion Ayrton Fund.
Meeting details
In the first panel, MPs are likely to ask witnesses about the opportunities and challenges involved in delivering community-led energy, from advancing energy access through the private sector to how energy access can support climate adaptation.
As the Committee separately explores the UK’s policy towards displaced people, MPs will consider the specific challenges these groups facing in securing energy access. Electricity access rates for displaced populations are reported to be declining, and 94% of forcibly displaced people in camps lacking meaningful access to electricity, according to the 2023 Humanitarian Energy Outlook Report.
In the second panel, the Committee will explore how well the FCDO is working with its partners, including the Shell Foundation and Energy Saving Trust. The Committee will also hear from the Modern Energy Cooking Services programme on their work targeting the 2.1 billion people who still rely on polluting fuels for their cooking. MPs may ask about how partners scale up finances, discuss opportunities for mutual learning on community energy, and explore the benefits and drawbacks of the UK’s focus on technology and innovation.