energy access

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More Than a Lightbulb
April 12, 2016
How much energy do the world’s poor need? The current definition of "modern energy access" sets an extremely low bar. A new CGD paper presents five recommendations for a new standard of energy access that would signify meaningful transformation in households and national economies.
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More Than a Lightbulb: Five Recommendations to Make Modern Energy Access Meaningful for People and Prosperity
April 12, 2016
Energy is fundamental to modern life, but 1.3 billion people around the world live without “access to modern electricity.” The current definition of modern energy access—100 kilowatt-hours per person per year—is not enough for poor countries to meet their goals for human welf...
Blog Post
The Most Popular Blog Posts of 2015
January 05, 2016
In case you missed them, here are the most popular blog posts from 2015, as determined by our readers.
Blog Post
My Top Three Videos about Energy and Development: Rosling, Gates, and Pritzker
December 21, 2015
Energy is a colossal development issue, touching on virtually every aspect of human progress from health and education to job and wealth creation. Modern energy access got its own Sustainable Development Goal (#7). Here are my three all-time favorite videos about the power unleashed by deliveri...
Blog Post
US Holiday Lights Use More Electricity Than El Salvador Does In a Year
December 18, 2015
At this time of the year, sparkling trees and decorated lawns have taken over. A 2008 study from the US Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) found that decorative seasonal lights accounted for 6.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity consumption every year in ...
Blog Post
Three Energy Hopes for the G-20
November 09, 2015
“Energy Sustainability” is high on the agenda for the G-20 meeting in Antalya, Turkey, next week. In practice, this means the governments of the world’s leading economies will pledge to continue the laudable goals of phasing out inefficient subsides and boosting energy efficiency. ...