The Tech4Dev Conference is the biennial flagship event of the UNESCO Chair in Technologies for Development. The Conference focuses on the potential of technology solutions to advance inclusive social and economic development in the Global South. Tech4Dev 2018 puts the challenges and the potential of the Global South in the center of discussions reflected by its title Voices of the Global South.

Carmen Dienst, project coordinator of WISIONS of Sustainability, will actively participate in the session Access to Energy for All: Measuring Impact beyond kWh on Friday, 29 June 2018, 10:45 – 12:30. She will present the research paper "Productive Use of Energy – Pathway to Development? Reviewing the Impact of Small-Scale Energy Projects in Developing Countries".

Abstract: It is widely recognized that access to sustainable energy services is a crucial factor in reducing poverty and enhancing development. One of the assumed positive outcomes is the productive use of energy, which is expected to create value thereby having a positive impact on local livelihoods. However, systematic evidence of these impacts is still limited. This study analyses the results of a post-evaluation of 30 small-scale energy development projects and reviews these in relation to existing literature to better understand how the supply of sustainable energy supports productive use activities, and whether these activities have the expected positive impacts.

The Wind Empowerment network invites you to apply for the 4th International Conference WEIndia2018.

The deadline for applications is 30 June (if you are applying for a travel scholarship) or 31 August (if you do not require a travel scholarship).

Sign-up form for WEIndia2018: "Bringing Small Wind Turbines Up To Scale"

This year’s conference is jointly organised by Wind Empowerment and the National Institute for Wind Energy (NIWE), India. It will be longer than previous conferences, spanning approximately two weeks: one week of training sessions and one week for the conference programme.

NIWE is offering full travel and conference scholarships to a limited number of international applicants who wish to participate in a one-month long course related to small wind rural electrification, which will include attendance at the WEIndia2018 conference.

The eligibility criteria for applying to NIWE’s scholarship are the following:

• Applicants must be available to join the two-week pre-conference workshop events, as well as the two-week conference. This means being in India for one month, from 15 November - 15 December 2018
• Applicants must have nationality from one of the eligible countries
• Applicants must have a working knowledge of English sufficient to follow the course

Wind Empowerment will try to provide scholarships (at least partial) to participants who do not fulfill the prerequisites above. However, if you are eligible and able to join the one-month course and conference events, do not miss this chance to apply. Send an email to windempowerment.group@gmail.com.

The Forum was organized around opening plenaries each morning, featuring a scene-setting keynote address and "Wake-Up Call", followed by high-level dialogues focusing on "Knowledge into Action" and "Disruptive Voices".Parallel "Deep Dive" discussions focused on critical energy sectors and emerging themes, such as energy in humanitarian settings, access to cooling, and interlinkages between energy and health.

Participants also met in 18 Partner Working Sessions, designed and organized by SEforALL partners, to catalyze action on specific issues that will enable progress on SDG7. A range of stakeholders addressed specific energy access issues and scalable innovations needed to achieve the three SEforALL objectives: ensuring universal access to modern energy services; doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix; and doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.

The first day focused on overcoming challenges. A highlight of the opening day was the presentation of the publication "Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report", which benchmarks annual progress toward achieving the SDG 7 targets that directly relate to the SEforALL objectives. Despite encouraging progress in some countries and energy sectors, the 2018 report finds that overall progress toward the SDG 7 targets remains off track. In particular, the study reveals that one billion people – or 13% of the world’s population – still live without electricity, and an estimated 674 million people, mostly living in sub-Saharan Africa, will likely not have access to electricity by 2030. The slow uptake of clean cooking technologies is also highlighted, as is the less-than-hoped for increase in energy efficiency and renewables. Discussions throughout the day focused on the implications of these data on the ground and addressed remaining challenges and unmet needs.

The second day of the Forum focused on innovative solutions that can help deliver change at the speed and scale required to achieve SDG 7. Various commitments and new partnerships were announced under the campaign, "Shine: Investing in Energy Access for All", in which 35 philanthropists, faith leaders and private capital organizations have committed to advancing clean energy access.

Carmen Dienst from the WISIONS team participated in a panel discussion entitled Last Mile First: Maximizing the Impacts of Energy Access on the SDGs