This summer 2019, AE4H is hosting the second ever innovation lab. Professionals from all over the world who work in Universities, Private Sector, Social Enterprises, Public Sector, Government, NGOs and Non-Profits work together to tackle the challenge of sustainable energy access. To learn more about the participants check out the event webpage.

The ‘innovation lab’ is a non-traditional workshop format wherein participants focus on what they want to do next and how they might work together, rather than on sharing past results. Deep discussions in small groups are a feature, and we avoid ‘death by powerpoint’. These are invite-only events that feature a highly diverse set of participants (expertise, nationality, age, gender, etc.). The 2019 event represents our second full-scale innovation lab. 

Lab Themes & Objectives

This event will bring together experts and practitioners in the field of energy access for the purpose of developing new insights on the delivery of affordable energy services in regions with limited access to electricity. The objective of the lab is to identify how delivery of a range of specific energy services can help spur local economic development and social value creation. 

We aim to produce a set of working papers that outline follow-up activities which advance off-grid energy innovation to support key end user needs/energy services, including:  

1. Business services
2. Agriculture
3. Electric cooking
4. Electric mobility
5. Education & public health
6. Clean water access
7. Communications & entertainment
8. Heating & cooling

Participants will work collaboratively to identify best practices, barriers to implementation of sustainable energy projects and enterprises, and to scope follow-up activities that will advance knowledge. Participants will form teams, and discuss partnership requirements and potential sources of funding to support research and other follow-up activities.

The lab will also be a place for enjoyable networking, allowing new collaborations to emerge organically between participants