Sustainable Energy

Over the last several hundred years, the world has witnessed an evolution when it comes to energy production and consumption. Though not all developments have been positive. Global CO2 emissions from energy combustion and industrial processes reached their highest ever annual level in 2021 at 36.3 gigatonnes (Gt), an estimate based on the International Energy Agency’s detailed region-by-region and fuel-by-fuel analysis. This can be linked to the fact that our energy supply is heavily reliant on nonrenewable fossil fuels; coal, oil, and gas energy production is directly linked to an increase in greenhouse gases and, thus, a change to the world’s climate. Luckily, the transition to renewables and electrification can not only be a driver for environmentally friendly energy production and use, but also for broad socioeconomic development. It is estimated that jobs in renewables would reach 42 million globally by 2050, four times their current level.[1]
In line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7, we believe that affordable and clean energy is a necessity.

The impact of social entrepreneurs in the energy sector is significant. By promoting the adoption and use of sustainable energy solutions, they are helping to reduce the negative impact of traditional energy sources on the environment and public health. Additionally, they are creating job opportunities, particularly in rural areas, and helping to build local economies.

empowering people. Network aims to identify and support innovative technologies and organizations that work to solve basic clean energy problems around the world. See some of the most promising entrepreneurs, and their enterprises, focused on this sector in the database below.

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[1] Global Renewables Outlook: Energy transformation 2050. International Renewable Energy Agency. https://www.irena.org/publications/2020/Apr/Global-Renewables-Outlook-2020. Retrieved: January 18, 2021.

  • Solutions from this sector


    From hydro electricity to biogas, generating energy takes on unique methods.

    Solutions from this sector