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7. Affordable and clean energy

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

SDG 7. Affordable and clean energy

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all


Targets*

7.1 Ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
7.2 Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
7.3 Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency


Key insights

  • In Cambodia, half of the population lives without access to electricity, whereas this is the case for roughly four in ten people in Myanmar.1
  • Energy demand in Southeast Asia is expected to more than double by 2040 but more than 65 million people currently have no access to electricity and 250 million people are dependent on traditional biomass for cooking.2


Business actions**

  1. Significantly increase energy efficiency, source remaining energy needs from renewable sources, and promote the same action across the supply chain through supplier selection and support
  2. Research, develop, and deploy affordable sustainable energy and energy efficiency products and services
  3. Develop and implement business models to deliver sustainable energy and energy efficiency technologies to new markets and communities


Example

  • A European aerospace corporation created a Centre of Excellence in Malaysia together with several local partners to develop processes for sustainable fuel usage in planes. The initiative aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while spearheading industry innovations.3
  • An Indian conglomerate leveraged its core competencies to create affordable energy access to rural communities in the form of micro-grids, ownership of which was ensured through the development of village institutions. While the community benefited from a reduction of kerosene consumption, improved social interactions and longer periods in which children could study, the company built its brand and generated new revenue streams.4

Thought Leadership

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Find out the application of fuel cell technology in vehicles, its cost of ownership and environmental impacts.

Global renewable energy trends

Find out why global renewable energy is so quickly establishing itself as the new ‘mainstream’ energy source.

Overview of the UK offshore wind power market and points to note for new entrants

Find out the most important elements of the regulations in the UK power market, its trend, and its outlook.

* All targets for SDG 1 to 17 have been derived from the United Nations Statistics Division (2018), from: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators/indicators-list/
** All business actions for SDG 1 to 17 have been derived from the United Nations Global Compact (2017), from: https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/5461
1 Asian Development Bank (2018), from: https://www.adb.org/publications/key-indicators-asia-and-pacific-2018
2 IRENA (2018), from: https://irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2018/Jan/IRENA_Market_Southeast_Asia_2018.pdf
3 Airbus (2014), from: https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2014/01/airbus-forms-a-sustainable-fuel-centre-of-excellence-in-malaysia.html
4 Tata Sustainability Group (2017), from: http://www.tatasustainability.com/pdf/TataGroup-and-theSDGs.pdf 

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