Impact of COVID-19 on Energy Access

Overview

The global pandemic COVID-19 has completely uprooted our lives and changed the way we work. It also has a tremendous impact on the off-grid energy sector. According to a survey by GOGLA, if this situation lasts for more than 3-4 months, many off-grid companies (almost 50%) will not survive. One of the biggest problems of off-grid companies is liquidity. Due to the current situation, customer liquidity has gone down, new sales have decreased, access to capital is either slowed or reduced and this has made it difficult to maintain the infrastructures. 

This page list all the articles, resources and information related to COVID-19 and energy access and is not exhaustive. Please feel free to add new resources to this page by editing it.

Resources

Below are a list of different resouces such as funding opportunities, tools and courses:

• COVID-19 Energy Access Relief Fund: https://www.energyaccessrelief.org/
• GET-Invest COVID-19 Window for energy projects in sub-saharan Africa and Carribean: https://www.get-invest.eu/finance-catalyst/covid-19-window/
• EnAccess is supporting open source Oxygen Concentrators for underserved communities: https://enaccess.org/openO2/
• Clean Cooking Alliance: https://www.cleancookingalliance.org/feature/covid-19-resources.html
• GOGLA for off-grid companies: https://www.gogla.org/covid-19-resource-center-0
• Lighting Global IFC FUND | COVID-19 Energy Relief Fund:The latest information about an upcoming fund dedicated to maintaining the sector's progress in providing energy access. 
• Lighting Global IFC RESOURCES | COVID-19: A collection of information from across the industry on how to best mitigate impacts of the corona virus. This includes editorials, webinars, and virtual classrooms on off-grid energy.
• Truvalue Labs Coronavirus ESG monitor to track surface trends and insights where COVID-19 intersects with env, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues: https://coronavirus.truvaluelabs.com/
• SEforALL resources: https://www.seforall.org/news/supporting-the-global-fight-against-covid-19
• Global Plan of Action COVID-19 response: https://www.humanitarianenergy.org/what-is-the-gpa/covid-19-and-humanitarian-energy/
• GDC- Resources for last mile distributors: https://globaldistributorscollective.org/covid-19-resources

Links to Corona related Energy Access Articles

Title	Author/Source	Published date
Investing in smart off-grid utilities can offset COVID-19 induced energy crisis	Justus Mucyo, The New Times	8 May, 2020
Renewable energy must form a major part of the post-COVID-19 recovery plan in Nigeria	LANDE ABUDU, The Cable	7 May, 2020
Covid-19 will have high impact on renewable energy projects: Poll	Global Data Energy	4 May 2020
COVID-19 to accelerate solar adoption across sub-Saharan Africa	Nicholas Nhede, ESI Africa	Apr 29, 2020
Transforming the energy system—a post-COVID-19 win-win for people and planet	Niklas Hagelberg and Mark Radka, UN Environment Programme	29 April
Coronavirus – Africa: COVID-19 lessons offer hope for global efforts to address climate change impacts	Africa Press Office	28 April
COVID-19 crisis reinforces the importance of the sustainable energy transition	Michael Williamson and Anis Zaman, UN ESCAP	27 April
OPINION World Bank/SEforALL | Energy Access Takes Center Stage in Fighting COVID-19	Riccardo Puliti, World Bank	22 April
COVID19’s impact on India’s solar industry	Ameya Pimpalkhare	22 April
Coronavirus crisis threatens to cut off clean electricity lifeline for poor	Megan Rowling, Thomas Reuters Foundation	20 April
Sustainable Development Goal 7 (Energy) and Covid-19 in Situations of Displacement: A Briefing Note	GPA	20 April
COVID-19 Roundup	by Power for All about the collective action being taken by the energy access community globally	20 April
Opinion: The effects of coronavirus measures on electricity markets	Alex Gilbert and Morgan Bazilian, Utility Dive	20 April
Beating Covid Is All About Electricity	Robert Bryce, Forbes	19 April
The unseen linkage between clean cooking solutions and pandemic: how to save millions of potential victims Long-sighted strategies are required to unlock significant benefits for all	Hivos Energy	16 April
African Union and IRENA to Advance Renewables in Response to Covid-19,	IRENA	16 April
CALL TO ACTION: Roadmap for the decentralised renewables sector to survive and flourish in the wake of thecovid-19 crisis	ARE	15 April
OPINION: COVID-19, air pollution and cooking: a deadly connection# "The ability for doctors to treat infected populations is based on the assumption that clinics and medical equipment are fully functioning with access to sufficient, uninterrupted, reliable electricity...	Hajia Samira Bawumia & Dymphna van der Lans | @SBawumia | Clean Cooking Alliance	15 April
Covid lockdown will impact rooftop solar more than grid-connected projects, says Care Ratings	Uma Gupta, PV Magazine	14 April
How Will Last-Mile Distributors Adapt to and Survive the COVID-19 Crisis?	Emma Colenbrander, Practical Action, Global Distributors Collective (GDC)	14 April
COVID-19: Lessons learnt and outlooks for sustainable, low carbon transport	SLOCAT	14 April
Staying on Course: Renewable Energy in the Time of COVID-19	Newsroom	10 April
OP-Ed COVID-19 is a huge threat to Africa’s off-grid energy sector and its millions of customers – here’s what needs to be done	Mansoor Hamayun, CNBC	9 April
Here's why energy security is a vital tool in tackling a pandemic	World Economic Forum	6 April
COVID-19 — the Global South must not be forgotten	Morgan Bazilian and Jay Lemery The Hill	5 April
OPINION: Power in a pandemic - why energy access matters during coronavirus	Damilola Ogunbiyi, SEforALL	31 March
COVID-19: Nigeria should prioritise power supply to health care facilities	Samuel Ayokunle Olowosejeje, The Conversation	30 March
Coronavirus outbreak has serious impact on solar industry	Renewable Energy Hub	20 March

Webinars/Recordings

• Webinar: Solar Heat for Commercial and Industrial Applications – Industry Update & Impact of COVID-19, 14 May 
  
• Sustainability After COVID-19: Voices from Leading International Organizations (GGGI, OECD, UNEP and the World Bank)
• Ask an Expert” with Harish Hande, Founder and CEO of SELCO Foundation
  
• Facebook Live from Clean and Power For ALL- COVID-19: Impact on India's DRE Sector
  
• Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW): Covid-19 related uncertainty might wipe out cash flows in India's solar industry and affect sectoral growth for at least two quarters. Solar imports from China declined by 70 per cent in January 2020 compared to January 2019. India relies on China for 80% of its solar imports. The crisis could lead to projects being delayed by 4-6 months and 70,000 people facing job uncertainties. Watch CEEW'S analysis on how India can minimise the damage to its solar sector.