Energy

Energy is essential for economic growth and the basis of modern lifestyles, yet more than a billion people worldwide live without access to electricity.

More from the Series

WORKING PAPERS
If You Build It, Will They Consume? Key Challenges for Universal, Reliable, and Low-Cost Electricity Delivery in Kenya - Working Paper 491
Jay Taneja
July 25, 2018
Kenya’s rapid electrification in the past decade has improved the lives of millions, but significant challenges remain. This paper provides analysis that shows electrification can be improved by considering cheaper options that still meet the needs of low consumers and that low consumption is ...
Blog Post
The BUILD Act is #EnergyGoals
Todd Moss
July 24, 2018
The bill, which would create a modernized US development finance institution, just passed the House. Todd Moss explains how the new agency could help the US step up energy investments.
Blog Post
Bravo to Power Africa for Moving up the Energy Ladder
Todd Moss
April 24, 2018
Anyone who follows this blog knows I’m a big fan of the US electrification initiative Power Africa because of its national security, economic, and developmental benefits.
Blog Post
Does Africa Have a Nuclear Power Future?
Todd Moss
April 16, 2018
Africa’s energy deficits are well known. But it’s very rare to hear policymakers talk openly about nuclear power on the continent.
POLICY PAPERS
Atoms for Africa: Is There a Future for Civil Nuclear Energy in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Abigail Sah et al.
April 16, 2018
This paper explores the feasibility of commercial nuclear power in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in light of advanced nuclear technologies and their potential to overcome some of the challenges to deployment.
POLICY PAPERS
What Can We Learn about Energy Access and Demand from Mobile-Phone Surveys? Nine Findings from Twelve African Countries
Ben Leo et al.
February 20, 2018
We conducted phone-based surveys on energy access and demand in twelve African countries. From these findings, we draw several potential policy implications. First, both grid electricity and off-grid solutions currently are inadequate to meet many African consumers’ modern energy demands. Seco...
Blog Post
On-Grid or Off-Grid Electricity? African Consumers Say…We Want Both
Todd Moss
February 20, 2018
In the push for electricity access in the developing world, many policymakers are trying to figure out where on-grid or off-grid solutions make the most sense. My new paper asks 39,000 consumers in 12 African countries about their energy use and demand. The big takeaway: African consumers don&r...