Addressing Challenges in the Cooking Energy Sector - Panel Session Report Bonn 2013

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Introduction

This panel aimed at reflecting the different perspectives of the Global Alliance partners and the secretariat representative on the sector and the Alliance's overarching goal of 100 million homes adopting clean and efficient stoves and fuels by 2020. Lessons learned from success stories were presented, and the challenges involved in reaching the 'tipping point' were discussed.

►	Moderator:Andrew Barnett, Trustee of HEDON, Household Energy Network
►	Panelists: Mark Bennett, PhD., Director, Philips Africa Luis Miguel Imaña, Executive Director, Sencico, Ministry for Housing, Construction and Rehabilitation, Peru Radha Muthiah, Executive Director, Glo bal Alliance for Clean Cookstoves Cornelia Richter, Managing Director, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
►	Rapporteur: Raphael Nguyen, EnDev/GIZBenin

Perspectives on Addressing Challenges in the Cooking Energy Sector

Radha Muthiah on perspective of the Alliance secretariat:

• Creation of a common vision among partners to accomplish the goal of 100 million people reached by 2020. The sector is now less fragmented.
• Increase of the level of interest among activists, NGO, private sector, etc. The cooking energy sector is now broader
• Emerging interest among the investor community
  

Mark Bennet on perspective of the private sector:

• The stove program has been revitalized and a new business model has been developed (based on the 4As: affordability, availability, accessibility and awareness)
• A new stove was launched on the market
  

Luis Miguel Imana on perspective of national government:

• Several stoves were validated and certified in Peru
• The awareness raised among the population
• A new national law “clean energy for all” was adopted
  

Cornelia Richter on perspective of practitioners (international development cooperation):

• Creation of a new momentum through Energizing Development (Endev) thanks to the Dutch government and BMZ
• A strategic approach was formulated to achieve the Endev's goals
• A robust monitoring and evaluation system was put in place
  

Challenges Faced in Reaching the "Tipping Point"

Radha Muthiah:

• Challenge to raise more the awareness at the household level
• Challenge to support the development of cleaner stoves
• Need to support the supply side , especially the distribution of stoves
  

Mark Bennett:

• With its cook stove, Philips wants to address the base of the pyramid and improve the living condition of people by 2025
• Challenge to further develop partnership to distribute the stove
• Challenge to improve affordability, availability, accessibility and awareness about the Philips stove.
  

Luis Miguel Imana:

• Challenge to change cultural approaches in rural areas
• Challenge to develop PPPs
• Challenge to ensure the quality control of the ICS
  

Lessons Learnt

Cornelia Richter:

• Make sure private sector is involved
• Market based approach
• Raise awareness
• Set up a robust monitoring and evaluation system
• Invest in knowledge management

Achievements of the Alliance and Challenges

Radha Muthiah:

• Validation of a strategic vision to reach the goals
• Mobilizing resources
• Promoting standards
• Scaling and enable market to be more effective
• Positioning the issue at the global and national level
• Broadening of partners
• Knowledge and research

Mark Bennett:

• GACC has developed standards, a high visibility of the issue and lobbied at the government level. This has contributed to the success of the Philips stove
• More could be done on (i) the access to finance for the supply side, and (ii) the lobbying to break barriers to the development of the stove market
  

Luis Miguel Imana:

• It is important to look at promoting quality stoves and to raise awareness
  

Cornelia Richter:

• The GACC has a convincing power for lobbying
• The GACC established a platform for raising awareness
• More partners are joining the GACC
• More could be done on lobbying at the national agenda level to create opportunities to include the stove thematic in intersectoral programs

Final Words from the Panelists: Joining Forces

Radha Muthiah:

• GACC developed country specific toolboxes
• GACC is working at supporting the establishment of working capitals on the distribution side
  

Mark Bennett:

• The business model of Philips will be shared
  

Luis Miguel Imana:

• Peru will make sure to develop a sustainable stove market
  

Cornelia Richter:

• Hope to expand the success story of stove programs
• It is important to develop a strategic vision based also on the failures/lessons learnt