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Electricity Access in Africa: Why a Green Energy Innovation Competition?
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Sara ElShafie, PhD
Senior Associate, Environmental and Social Innovation team, Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy
Sara ElShafie, PhD, is a senior associate on the Environmental and Social Innovation team at Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy. Serving its Social Innovation portfolio as a global climate specialist, ElShafie helps to build climate and environmental philanthropic initiatives.
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Emily Musil, PhD
Managing Director, Environmental and Social Innovation team, Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy
Emily Musil, PhD, is managing director at Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy, where she leads the Environmental and Social Innovation portfolio.
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Key Takeaways
- Investing in green energy systems will accelerate progress toward UN SDG 7, providing crucial resources for economic and social development.
- By focusing on off-grid electricity, the competition encourages infrastructure that can increase access to electricity, particularly in rural areas.
- Intentional design elements of the competition allow for new, creative ideas from anywhere in the world to succeed and scale.
- Using technology to verify entries generates meaningful data from all teams consistently and equitably.
This report explores the challenges and opportunities surrounding accessible energy in Africa, emphasizing sustainable solutions that drive progress and prosperity.
Why It Matters
In Africa, reliable electricity access is essential for economic and social advancement. However, over 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lack electricity access, hindering development.
About the Prize
The Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy leads the charge in innovation by catalyzing investments in sustainable energy solutions. This initiative is crucial for addressing energy poverty and mitigating climate change. Our unique competition structure welcomes diverse ideas, ensuring that the most creative solutions thrive and expand. Leveraging technology to verify entries, we generate valuable insights to propel meaningful change.
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Chad Clinton
Director, Media RelationsChad Clinton is the director of media relations for the Milken Institute. Hired to this role in August 2021, Clinton develops and executes strategies to amplify the Institute’s core messages by generating coverage of its pillar workstreams, experts, and events.