Utilities 2.0: Better Services, Better Connections

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming webinar

Utilities 2.0: Better Services, Better Connections - Lessons from Uganda and Nigeria

Speakers

• Florence Nsubuga, Chief Operations Officer, Umeme Ltd
• Pradeep Pursnani, Chief Executive Officer, Konexa
• James Sherwood, Principal, Rocky Mountain Institute
• Jonathan Phillips, Director, Energy Access Program, Duke University
• Dr. Rebekah Shirley (moderator), Chief Research Officer, Power for All

Utilities across countries with low energy access face a number of challenges in delivering on the mandates of affordable, reliable energy for all. As a result, the world is not on track to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7, and roughly nine of every ten of those persons living without electricity in 2030 will be in Sub-Saharan Africa. Energy access is critical for building resiliency on the continent, including food security and disaster preparedness.

In recent years, new distribution models that combine traditional utility models with the learnings from over a decade of decentralized energy technology rollout have emerged, ushering in a new era for utilities: Utilities 2.0. Integrated energy approaches draw the strengths of both centralized and decentralized pathways into innovative business models for faster, lower cost and more reliable service delivery. Organizations such as Power for All, Konexa, and the Rocky Mountain Institute are working directly with utilities from across the continent, exploring viability and demonstrating the value proposition of novel integrated approaches. While these cutting-edge initiatives are necessary first steps, much more is needed to galvanize practitioners, donors, investors, and policymakers to accelerate integrated approaches to energy access at scale.

This webinar is an opportunity to engage directly with the researchers and utility experts working in two case study countries: Nigeria and Uganda and learn lessons from the field. The webinar will explore dynamic and practical questions of integration including:

• What are the specific challenges that utilities in sub Saharan Africa face in delivering affordable, reliable universal access that business model innovations can help solve?
• What are the business models being deployed through pioneer integration initiatives today? What are their projected impacts and tradeoffs for consumers?
• What is the role of financiers and donors in de-risking integrated approaches to electrification?

Power for All invites all energy practitioners, policy-makers, financiers and others to join us in this live discussion.

This webinar is sponsored by Applied Research Programme on Energy for Economic Growth (EEG), which is led by Oxford Policy Management. The EEG programme is funded by the UK Government, through UK Aid.