Background

The energy access gap in forced displacement contexts is striking. Currently, there are over 102 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, the vast majority of whom do not have access to sustainable energy: over 94% of displaced people in camps do not have access to sustainable electricity sources and 81% do not have access to modern cooking solutions. This is partially due to the lack of expertise and knowledge around how to integrate sustainable energy into responses to forced displacement in a socially and financially sustainable manner.

To bridge this gap, the Energy Delivery Models (EDM) training was developed to provide guidance and a structured process to designing context-specific and end-user driven sustainable energy programmes. The course aims to build humanitarian, development and energy practitioners’ capacity around the benefits of access to sustainable energy for displacement contexts and support them to develop energy access projects that meet end users’ needs and support local market systems.

This page provides and overview of how to take the EDM Training and access to the e-learning training materials. The e-learning module content was developed by WFP and digitized by UNITAR, and was originally designed as a blended programme with in-person and e-learning training components. The content is also available for practitioners to take as a self-paced option as described in the guidance document here.

The e-learning consists of three modules, which are described and embedded below.

  • Module 1 is designed for decision makers and managers to gain an understanding of why energy access is important in displacement contexts and provide an overview of the Energy Delivery Model planning and project design framework which is supportive of local contexts and co-designed with end users of the energy products or services proposed.
  • Modules 2 and 3 are designed for humanitarian, development and energy practitioners as a step-by-step guide for how to analyse local energy value chains, identify most pressing energy access needs with communities, and develop context-fit solutions and projects based on the needs identified. Modules 2 and 3 are accompanied by a workbook which practitioners can complete as they are taking the e-learning modules.

The following map provides an overview of projects developed through the blended version of the training. If you are a financer or practitioner that would like to learn more about how to collaborate with or support the projects developed through the EDM training, please contact aimee.jenks@unitar.org.

Certificates of completion for the course can be processed for those taking the self-paced e-learning modules. The requirement for getting a certificate is to complete the workbooks and schedule a consultation with the EDM project manager by emailing energy@unitar.org.

  • Target Audience: Humanitarian, Development and Energy Sector Managers, Policy Makers, Decision makers
  • Learning Objectives:
    • Develop participants understanding around the relevance of energy access in development and humanitarian contexts
    • Provide knowledge and evidence that demonstrate how sustainable energy access strengthens market systems, supports improvement in quality of life as well as contributes to wider the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
    • Provide a framework for analyzing energy value chains to support local development and long-term sustainability when designing and implementing sustainable energy programmes
  • Average time to complete module: 1-2 hours
  • Click here to access Module 1: Introduction to Energy Access in Displacement Settings
  • Target Audience: Humanitarian, Development and/or Energy sector practitioners responsible for developing or managing projects; Small and medium enterprises; Government nel designing energy access policies
  • Learning Objectives:
    • Support practitioners to understand energy value chains in the local contexts and identify energy solutions that are sustainable in the medium to longer term. 
    • Provide a framework to identify barriers that prevent the local energy value chain from functioning properly. 
    • Support practitioners on the steps to design a set of strategies and solutions aimed at addressing those barriers. 
  • Average time to complete module: approximately 6 hours
  • Click here to access Module 2: Energy Value Chain Analysis for Sustainable Delivery Models
  • Target Audience: Humanitarian, Development and/or Energy sector practitioners responsible for developing or managing projects; Small and medium enterprises; Government nel designing energy access policies
  • Learning Objectives:
    • Support practitioners to develop a project outline based on the energy value chain analysis
    • Provide guidance on how to develop a business case for the proposed solution, evaluate costs, benefits and risks, and outline the rationale for the proposed project approach
    • Provide guidance on how to use innovation and sustainable financing approaches through public and private sources, as well as develop partnerships with all relevant stakeholders to the proposed project
  • Average time to complete module: approximately 3 hours
  • Click here to access Module 3: Guidance on Energy Delivery Model Project Development

Based on the learnings from the pilot phase and feedback received on the training materials, UNITAR and partners are working to secure resources to develop further training and technical support to meet concrete capacity development demands from government and development/humanitarian partners. All interested partners have further inquiries or are interested in receiving facilitated EDM trainings are invited to contact the UNITAR project management team by emailing aimee.jenks@unitar.org and elif.demir@unitar.org. 

The training is based on the Energy Delivery Models pro-poor energy planning methodology developed by the International Institute for Energy and Development (IIED) and the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), and was transformed into a blended learning programme with e-learning content developed by WFP and training facilitation from UNITAR, with financial and technical support from MECS, NORCAP, SELCO Foundation, and IIED.

Last updated: 28/07/2022