The ground-breaking international partnership working to change the way energy is delivered for refugees, kicked off phase 2 of the Moving Energy Initiative. This new phase will see the design and implementation of a series of new approaches to providing energy access – with innovations relating to technologies, institutional arrangements and modes of private sector engagement.

The Moving Energy Initiative (MEI) is a collaboration between Energy 4 Impact, Chatham House, Practical Action Consulting, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). 
 
Over the course of last year, the consortium gathered evidence through desk and field research, by engaging with humanitarian actors and reviewing pilot projects in camps in Kenya and Burkina Faso and in a non-camp setting in Jordan – all looking at the issue of sustainable energy access and management.
 
The findings were published in a global level report Heat, Light and Power for Refugees: Saving Lives, Reducing Costs and a series of toolkits and surveys: A Review of Cooking Technologies for Humanitarian Settings; Private Sector Engagement: The Key to Efficient, Effective Energy Access for Refugees; The Energy Situation in Goudoubo Refugee Camp, Burkina Faso; and The Energy Situation in the Dadaab Refugee Camps, Kenya.
 
The findings from these reports presented the current state of energy access amongst the 60 million people forcibly displaced by conflict.  The report highlighted that millions of displaced people lack access to clean, safe and secure energy services that are key to meeting basic living needs and providing income generating activities. Whilst several challenges exist, including funding for energy interventions and lack of reliable data on energy usage, an opportunity is presented to improve this situation by building on the work of humanitarian organisations, utilising the skills of displaced people and the innovation of the private sector. 
 
Building on the research conducted in Phase 1, the second phase will implement a series of initiatives aimed at addressing identified bottlenecks and demonstrating new approaches on the ground. These initiatives combine a mix of global and local interventions including optimising the management of energy consumption and related data, addressing funding challenges, supporting the development of integrated energy plans, improving the management of energy infrastructure, promoting low carbon interventions, and supporting local market development amongst others.
 
Over the next 18 months the MEI will design and test innovative solutions to address the institutional barriers to expanding energy access and improving energy management. The programme will work in consultation with a wide variety of stakeholders to improve the way solutions are delivered, and to support the widespread and sustained adoption of new practices. The project aims to build the evidence base and the case for change for humanitarian systems to improve the provision and management of energy services to displaced people.