At the South Asia Forum for Distributed Energy (SAFDE), IKEA Foundation and GOGLA, a global association for the off-grid solar industry, unveiled a partnership dedicated to promoting the productive use of renewable energy (PURE) across Africa and Asia
GOGLA will receive EU€4mn (approx. US$4.3mn) across four years to advance the off-grid solar industries across the two continents. The ‘Scaling PURE’ partnership will also advance associated technologies with the ultimate goal of modernising agriculture, provide power for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and improve food and water security.
IKEA Foundation has also endorsed GOGLA’s Power 1 Billion Lives’ UN Energy Compact – an initiative designed to help the off-grid solar sector scale its impact and rapidly provide green, modern energy to one billion people by 2030.
Per Heggenes, CEO of IKEA Foundation, commented, “The IKEA Foundation is proud to support GOGLA in its mission to scale the productive use of renewable energy across Asia and Africa. Over 750 million people are currently living without access to electricity. Off-grid solar technology can provide them with the tools they need to improve their livelihoods and create jobs, helping to grow and strengthen their local economies.”
Koen Peters, executive director of GOGLA, remarked, “The Scaling PURE partnership with IKEA Foundation is a game-changer for the off-grid solar industry. By collaborating, we strengthen our collective efforts to improve livelihoods and combat climate change. As the association for the off-grid solar industry, GOGLA works with pioneering companies who are revolutionising the productive use of energy and collaborates with governments, investors, development partners and national renewable energy associations to enhance access to clean energy. We will use these networks and foundations to unlock new opportunities to scale solar irrigation, cooling, communications and other PURE technologies to reach 190 million more people by 2030.”
