Prof Bahaj talks to the community in Kitonyoni.
Thursday 30 May 2013 Room 1027/Building 67 Highfield Campus
Doors open 17.30
Lecture begins 18.00 – no admittance after 18.00
Refreshments will be served in the foyer from 17.30 onwards
Speaker:
Prof. AbuBakr Bahaj, BSc, PhD, FICE, FRSA Head of Energy & Climate Change Division Faculty of Engineering and the Environment University of Southampton
To date it is estimated that around 1.5 billion people around the world have no access to reliable electricity. The provision of electricity is vitally important for development, alleviation of poverty and for fulfilling the Millennium Develop- ment Goals (MDGs). In many developing countries, the upfront cost of connect- ing rural villages to the nearest electrical distribution network is, and will re- main, prohibitively expensive. A reliable electrical supply is vital for develop- ment in key areas including health, education and small businesses and wellbe- ing. This talk will address intervention strategies for the provision of energy for development. It will build on a first phase of a multidisciplinary programme funded by Research Council.
UK and the UK’s Department of International Development, promoting a community based approach for the provision of electricity and water services in rural Kenya.
The project Replication of Rural Decentralised Off-Grid Electricity Generation through Technology and Business Innovation termed “Energy for Development” has been progressing according to its phases and has implemented a min-grid technology intervention within Kitonyoni, a rural village in Kenya, about 90 miles from Nairobi. The project is community based, providing direct electricity supply to around 40 businesses as well charging for lighting for around 3000 inhabitants. The lecture will review the concept of Energy for Development and report on the status of project in Kenya and the future replication programme.