Leaders And Innovators In Off-Grid Electrification To Gather In Uganda For Decentralized Energy Solutions Workshop

July 22 Workshop Hosted by Energy Access Practitioner Network and the World Wide Fund for Nature in Kampala

(PRWEB) -

WHAT: ‘Towards Universal Energy Access: Uganda’ is a one-day workshop organized by the UN Foundation’s Energy Access Practitioner Network and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The workshop will bring together leaders, innovators and experts from across Uganda and the region to highlight the work and progress of private sector and civil society actors bringing off-grid electrification solutions to Uganda.

WHEN: July 22, 2014, 8.30 am – 4.15 pm.

WHERE: Protea Hotel, 4 Elgon Terrace, John Babiha (Acacia) Ave. Kololo, Kampala, Uganda.

WHO: Keynote address: Hon. Eng. Minister Irene Muloni, Minister for Energy and Mineral Development (Invited)

Remarks from World Wide Fund for Nature: David Duli, Country Director, WWF Uganda Country Office (Invited)

Session I: ‘Policy framework in the Ugandan context – setting the right enabling environment’

Moderator: Eng. Moses Murengezi, Advisor to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Energy

Panelists:
Godfrey Turyahikayo, Executive Director, Rural Electrification Agency of Uganda
Emmanuel Buringuriza, Ministry of Energy & Mineral Development (Invited)
Godfrey Baluku Kime, Mayor, Kasese Municipal Council (Invited)
Ina Hommers, Deputy Program Director of Energy Programme, GIZ
Ben Manyindo, Executive Director, National Bureau of Standards (Invited)
Robert Mawanda, Manager, Uganda Manufacturers Association

Session II: Cracking the distribution challenge – creating supply chains for energy access
Moderator: Aneri Patel, Energy Access Officer, UN Foundation
Panelists:
Representative, Solar Sister (Invited)
Corey Stout, One Degree Solar
Anne Kayiwa, Barefoot Power Uganda
Willem Nolens, Solar Now

Session III: Innovations in Consumer Financing: Pay-as-you-go and energy service models for success
Moderator: Eddie Oketcho, WWF
Panelists:
Edward Lubega Ntumwa, Azuri Technologies
Andrew Kent, BBOXX
Lyndsay Handler, Fenix International
Julius Magala, GVEP

Session IV: Energy & Women’s Health – energy for health facilities
Moderator: Jem Porcaro, Senior Director, Energy Access, United Nations Foundation
Panelists:
Dr. Samson Wamani, Innovation Africa
Patrick Kagurusi, AMREF
Dorah Taranta, Pathfinder
Grace Latigi, UNICEF
Robina Biteyi, White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood, Uganda
Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Ministry of Health (Invited)

WHY: Organized within the framework of the UN and World Bank’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative, participants in the workshop will focus on how their work delivering off-grid energy services can address the electricity needs of 29 million people in Uganda who currently lack it. The workshop will feature interactive panel sessions and provide opportunities for networking and discussion on policy frameworks, supply chains and distribution, and innovations in technology and consumer financing.

SPECIAL EVENT: The workshop will include a special afternoon panel focusing on energy services in health care settings, with an emphasis on maternal health. This work is part of a broader initiative within the larger Sustainable Energy for All initiative being co-led by the World Health Organization, the United Nations Foundation and UN Women to help address residual health clinic electrification, reduce maternal and newborn mortality, and support better health service provision in community contexts.

REGISTRATION & ENQUIRIES: To register, please RSVP to energyevents(at)unfoundation(dot)org by July 15. Space is limited. For further information on the workshop, please contact Aneri Patel: apatel(at)unfoundation(dot)org. For details on the special panel on women’s health and energy, please contact Jem Porcaro: jporcaro(at)unfoundation(dot)org.

MEDIA REQUESTS: For media interviews on the work of the Energy Access Practitioner Network within the United Nations Sustainable Energy for All initiative, please contact Mahalakshmi Mahadevan: mmahadevan(at)unfoundation(dot)org.

THE ENERGY ACCESS PRACTITIONER NETWORK:
As a part of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative, the United Nations Foundation’s Energy Access Practitioner Network promotes universal access to modern energy services. With more than 1,700 members, the Network focuses on decentralized low-carbon household and community-level electrification. It supports innovative financial and business models in predominantly market-based applications that also help address development issues related to income generation, health, agriculture, education, small business, and telecommunications.

For more information on the work of the Energy Access Practitioner Network, visit: http://www.energyaccess.org.