F1ID 5095 - Access to Energy in Developing Countries: Development, Technology, Financing, and Policy
With more than 750 million people lacking access to electricity and clean cooking solutions, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia, energy access remains one of the 21st century's greatest developmental challenges. How can we accelerate progress towards universal access? What economic, financial, and governance conditions are needed? What technological solutions and challenges exist? What lessons can we learn from successful countries?
At the intersection of economics, geopolitics, finance, and public policy, energy access requires a multidisciplinary approach. The course combines academic perspectives with field experience through expert guest speakers.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the students will be able to:
1. discuss the global situation, trends and challenges of energy access.
2. understand the economic and financial challenges and opportunities related to achieving universal energy access, including investment needs, affordability, and innovative financing models.
3. evaluate the importance of effective governance frameworks in promoting energy access, including regulatory environments, institutional capacity, and stakeholder engagement.
4. identify and discuss necessary public policies to support energy access, such as supportive legislation, incentives, and education programs.
5. be able to explain various technological solutions for expanding energy access, including grid expansion, off-grid systems, and clean cooking technologies.
6. examine case studies of countries that have successfully improved energy access and identify key strategies and practices that can serve as models for other regions.
Professional Skills
- Students will learn to look at a complex issue from a holistic an interdisciplinary (including technical, economic, financial, policy and geopolitical) perspective.
- Students will learn to draft executive papers/presentations and participate in debates on these strategies.
- Students will learn to work both individually as well as in groups.
Alexandre GALICIER,Philippe COPINSCHI
Séminaire
English
- Attendance: 2 hours a week / 24 hours a semester
- Reading and Preparation for Class: 3.5 hours a week / 42 hours a semester
- Research and Preparation for Group Work: 5.5 hours a week / 66 hours a semester
- Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 3.5 hours a week / 42 hours a semester
Basic knowledge of development issues and energy transition
Spring 2024-2025
Country Profiles: Each student creates a 1-2 page factsheet on a country's energy access status, trends, & challenges. Success Stories: Groups of 2-3 present a 2-page case study on a country's energy access success, focusing on a specific aspect & replicable lessons. Strategy Proposal: Groups of 3-4 develop a strategy for a country, including analysis, goals, actions, implementation plan. These Strategies Proposal will be presented and discussed during the last two sessions of the course.
Feedback will be provided on a regular basis, through evaluation and comments on their factsheets, as well as feedback on case studies and strategy proposals
Executive Summary - IEA (2024), Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report, 2024, IEA, IRENA, UNSD, World Bank, WHO, Washington DC (https://www.iea.org/reports/tracking-sdg7-the-energy-progress-report-2024)
Executive Summary - IEA (2021), Financing Clean Energy Transitions in Emerging and Developing Economies, IEA, Paris (https://www.iea.org/reports/financing-clean-energy-transitions-in-emerging-and-developing-economies)
Executive Summary - UNDP (2024), Innovative Governance for Private Sector in Just Energy Transition, UNDP (https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2024-06/undp-innovative-governance-for-private-sector-in-just-energy-transition.pdf)
Mulugetta, Hagan,Kammen, Daniel: Energy Access for Sustainable Development, Environmental Research Letters (2019) (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329226494_Energy_access_for_sustainable_development)
Executive Summary - IEA (2023), Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transitions, IEA, Paris (https://www.iea.org/reports/electricity-grids-and-secure-energy-transitions)
Executive Summary - IEA (2023), A Vision for Clean Cooking Access for All, IEA, Paris (https://www.iea.org/reports/a-vision-for-clean-cooking-access-for-all)