16 June 2012: The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) has published the results of its stakeholder survey on the private sector and sustainable energy, in a brief titled “Sustainable Energy for All and the Private Sector.”

The aim of the stakeholder survey was to explore the role of the private sector in delivering access to sustainable energy services for all. Focusing on the barriers and challenges to private sector involvement in ensuring access to renewable energy and promoting energy efficiency, the survey examined the potential of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative (SE4ALL) to overcome these barriers and challenges.

The brief highlights the key role of the private sector in achieving universal energy access, with examples of existing initiatives and opportunities in this regard. It also summarizes barriers identified by survey participants, including: lack of finance; high import duties and taxes; fossil fuel subsidies and limited renewable energy policy incentives; monopolization of electricity provision with a lack of support for decentralized power generation. To help overcome these and other barriers and challenges, the main roles identified for SE4ALL were to: coordinate the activities of actors on delivering energy access; guide governments’ policy directives and work with governments to raise awareness on energy issues; stimulate increased finance and investment, as well as awareness and capacity building; and demonstrate profitable business models. [IIED Announcement] [Publication: Sustainable Energy for All and the Private Sector]