Archive for the ‘Sustainable Energy’ category

Nuru Lights Pedals Toward Clean Energy in Africa

By Tina Casey*
A clean energy startup called Nuru Lights has come up with a low cost pedal-powered LED light kit that is designed to help households in East Africa and India ditch their kerosene lamps.
Kerosene lamps are ubiquitous in the developing world. They’re a notorious fire hazard and can cause carbon monoxide poisoning when [...]

Ethical and Social Implications of New Biofuels

By Joyce Tait and Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka*
Biofuels were first pioneered in the early days of car manufacturing.
Cheap fossil fuels soon overtook them as our fuel of choice, but concerns about climate change have revived interest in them — global biofuel production doubled between 2000 and 2007, and is expected to double again by 2011.
‘First generation’ biofuels, [...]

Africa Lagging Behind in Green Energy Economy Development – UN

Africa is lagging behind the rest of the world in developing renewable energy projects with initiatives aimed at producing clean and ‘green’ energy remaining largely under-exploited, warned a new report released today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
A UNEP assessment noted that the entire continent has just over 120 carbon market projects up [...]

Solar Lighting Spells End of Kerosene in Africa

By Charlotte Webster*
A simple but effective solar kit is helping to bring light to homes in the less-industrialised world without the choking side-effects of kerosene lamps.
About 14 per cent of Kenya is electrified, Tanzania even less at 11 and Malawi a pitiful seven. These statistics correspond directly to poverty and development.
The extensive off-grid rural areas [...]

Reflections on CSR in Kenya and China in Africa

By Wayne Visser*
Last week, I was hosted by Ufadhili Trust to deliver a 2 day workshop on CSR in Nairobi, Kenya. As I was last in Kenya 20 years ago when I attended an AIESEC African Leadership Development Seminar, it was wonderful to return and compare my impressions.
The biggest changes have [...]