Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS)
mecs.org.uk Mecs@lboro.ac.uk
Summary

Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) is a research and innovation programme funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) that seeks to accelerate the uptake of clean and modern cooking practices in Africa, South Asia, and the Indo Pacific. It develops research on modern energy cooking services (including on socio-economic and technical innovations in the sector), it funds pilots to scale-up new clean cooking technologies and business models in developing countries, it conducts policy research to inform and influence countries and key stakeholders to adopt principles around MECS in their own strategies and planning, and it funds World Bank-led global tracking tools around modern energy cooking. MECS leads the ‘Modern Cooking’ Ayrton Challenge.

Low Energy Inclusive Appliances (LEIA)
efficiencyforaccess.org info@efficiencyforaccess.org
Summary

Low-Energy Inclusive Appliances (LEIA) is a research and innovation programme focused on improving the efficiency, performance, and availability of electrical appliances and solar powered technologies suited to off-grid and weak-grid settings, while lowering their cost for consumers including in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and the Indo-Pacific. This includes appliances that deliver critical energy services such as refrigeration, cooling and communications (e.g., fridges, fans, TVs, solar water pumps) and technological innovations in areas such as advanced refrigeration, agricultural processing, electric cooking, brushless DC electric motors, interoperability, compatibility, and connectivity. LEIA leads the ‘Energy Efficiency’ Ayrton Challenge and co-leads the ‘Sustainable Cooling For All’ Ayrton Challenge, along with supporting on the ‘Modern Cooking’ Ayrton Challenge. The programme is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) via the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform.

Enabling African Cities for Transformative Energy Access (ENACT)
africa.iclei.org/project iclei-africa@iclei.org
Summary

ENACT is part of the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform and is creating an enabling environment for implementation of market-led energy access solutions for people in urban informal settlements in sub-Saharan Africa through public-private partnerships. It is doing this through:
– Public sector capacity building in urban energy data collection and planning;
– Designing, piloting and testing energy access implementation models led by the private sector; and
– Knowledge dissemination for scale-up and replication in urban areas across sub-Saharan Africa.

Transforming Energy Access (TEA)
tea.carbontrust.com tea@carbontrust.com
Summary

Transforming Energy Access (TEA) is the flagship Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) research and innovation platform supporting early-stage testing and scale-up of innovative technologies and business models that accelerate access to affordable, clean and modern energy, enabling sustainable, and inclusive growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Indo-Pacific region. This includes clean energy supply technologies (e.g. next generation solar), super-efficient demand solutions (e.g. efficient appliances, sustainable cooling, modern cooking) and smart delivery solutions (e.g. energy storage, green grids, hydrogen). It targets people and enterprises who have no or limited access to clean, modern energy services and limited opportunities to participate in, or benefit from, the energy sector through employment and income generation opportunities. TEA leads on several Ayrton Challenges including ‘Next Generation Solar’, ‘Zero Emissions Generators’, ‘Energy Storage’, ‘Clean Hydrogen’, ‘Inclusive Energy and Leave No One Behind’, ‘Sustainable Cooling for All’ and ‘Energy Efficiency’ (via the LEIA programme), and supports ‘Clean Transport’ and ‘Smart Energy Systems’.

Humanitarian Grand Challenge Fund
humanitariangrandchallenge.org info@humanitariangrandchallenge.org
Summary

A Multi Donor innovation challenge fund that focuses on innovations in humanitarian contexts caused by conflict. This includes research and development into adaptation and adoption of new clean energy technologies such as sustainable energy solutions though solar mini-grids, clean cooking, solar powered health services, and innovative financing mechanisms, in countries affected by conflict or displacement. This programme is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Africa Regional Climate and Nature (ARCAN) Programme
devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/projects matthew.rees@fcdo.gov.uk
Summary

Announced at COP26 in Glasgow, this regional programme supports the World Bank’s Sustainable Renewables Risk Mitigation Initiative (SMRI) to demonstrate renewable energy technologies with storage at scale, and the African Development Bank’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) to support clean generation capacity by pairing battery storage alongside solar, wind, and other technologies, and support smart grid systems and clean cooking. This programme is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

BRILHO Mozambique
brilhomoz.com celma.loforte@fcdo.gov.uk
Summary

Country programme that expands rural household energy access by catalysing private sector innovation and investment and government support in Mozambique. It aims to increase domestic and business energy solutions through the supply of household solar, mini-grids, and improved cooking technologies. This programme is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Efficiency for Access Design Challenge
efficiencyforaccess.org EforAchallenge@est.org.uk
Summary

The Efficiency for Access Design Challenge is a global, multi-disciplinary competition that empowers teams of university students to help accelerate clean energy access. The Challenge invites teams of students to create affordable, high-performing off-grid appliances and enabling technologies. Since it’s inception in 2019 the Design Challenge has provided participating students with a series of webinars, a resource library, a knowledge sharing platform, mentoring and prototyping grants. This project is supported by the Low Energy Inclusive Appliances (LEIA) programme.

Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP)
esmap.org esmap@worldbank.org
Summary

The Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) is led by the World Bank and aims to support activities within the energy access sector globally by delivering critical international market data and sector tracking products, on a cost-sharing basis with multiple donor bilateral and philanthropic partners. ESMAP tools include the SDG 7 Tracking Framework, the Multi-Tier Framework for Energy Access, the Regulatory Index for Sustainable Energy (RISE), and the Global Electrification Platform. ESMAP develops and maintains specialised energy datasets and analysis relevant across the Ayrton Fund’s scope. ESMAP also delivers training and advice to World Bank Task Team Leaders and client Governments on emerging energy technologies and related policies, and capacity building for national statistical offices in monitoring and tracking SDG 7.1.1 and 7.1.2 indicators. ESMAP is supported by the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform and the Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) programme.

Transforming Inclusive Energy Markets (TIME)
shellfoundation.org/strategic-partnerships https://shellfoundation.org/contact/
Summary

The Transforming Inclusive Energy Markets (TIME) partnership is led by the Shell Foundation and supported by the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform. TIME supports a just, inclusive, clean energy transition by accelerating the impact of pioneering enterprises and enabling intermediaries. The partnership takes an “ecosystem” approach, addressing core market barriers and bottlenecks for the sector (i.e., supply, demand, finance and institutions). It helps to de-risk the sector for new and emerging innovators and enterprises, by scaling up existing proven models and enterprises, piloting new models for market opportunities, reducing market barriers that constrain growth, and catalysing private investment. TIME offers much needed catalytic capital, combined with venture and market building support, to enable enterprises to progress from grant/repayable grant through to concessionary financing (including through partnerships with the likes of the US Development Finance Corporation and the UK’s British International Investment) and ultimately to commercial capital.