Dalia Patino-Echeverri

Primary Theme: Energy & Environment

Access to electricity and other forms of modern energy is crucial to development. Power is indispensable for activities such as lighting, refrigeration, heating, cooling and commerce and development more broadly. Yet about 1.1 billion people lack access to electricity, and another billion or so have unreliable access that hinders productivity and economic development among households, companies and public institutions. While a number of actors have entered the market, with public and private commitments totaling about $19 billion per year in recent years, a substantial investment gap remains. Understanding the barriers to investment is essential for addressing the needs of the households, communities and enterprises that lack access to modern energy sources.