To encourage the scaling up of local sustainable energy in the developing world, we share our knowledge and expertise and that of our winners with those who can bring about change.

The year 2012 is a crucial one for Ashden as it’s the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, aiming for universal energy access by 2030. This UN initiative aims to raise awareness of the potential for sustainable energy to help combat poverty. By 2030 it hopes to: ensure universal access to modern energy services; double the rate of improvement in energy efficiency; and double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. As a member of the practitioner working group we will be sharing our expertise and promoting our winners as exemplars.

In 2010 we established the Ashden Indian Collective which brings together previous Indian award winners to provide a networking forum and share best practice with policy makers. The Collective has a wealth of knowledge and experience in decentralised renewable energy which will steer energy policy towards improved energy access for millions of Indians. Already it has been invited to comment on India’s renewable energy plans and give policy recommendations how best to promote rural electrification.

We’re also partners of the Global Alliance for Clean Stoves which aims to expand the global market for clean stoves, calling for 100 million homes to adopt efficient stoves by 2020. Through this Alliance, we’re promoting the work of many previous award winners that have created innovative stove designs and want to contribute their expertise to this important global effort.