The University of Bristol has received £3.5 million to bring together international researchers on a project that puts well-being at the heart of energy system design. Funded by UKRI through its Ayrton Challenge Programme, it is one of 13 projects to be given a share of £33 million.
Led by academics from the University of Bristol, the Sustainable, Holistic, and Inclusive Energy Systems for well-being project (SHINE) is a transdisciplinary project that seeks to investigate the socio-economic, gender, environmental, health and technological conditions that improves inclusiveness and the sustainability of energy access interventions.
So often, energy systems are designed with goals such as number of households connected to a grid or number of cookstoves distributed, without consideration of just, effective energy transitions. This can marginalise communities.
SHINE will work with communities and stakeholders in The Gambia and Ghana in West Africa to explore the intersectional realities associated with the energy transition. One outcome will include the development of a framework that supports researchers, project implementors, policy makers and communities when designing energy systems.
National stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Energy in both The Gambia and Ghana as well as United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have joined the project advisory board to further support and align the project with ongoing initiatives.
Led by Dr Sam Williamson, based in Bristol’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, the project is a commitment to building and maintaining equitable partnerships across the globe, emphasizing south-north and south-south knowledge transfer. It is also a pledge to placing people at the heart of energy system design and ensuring they have a say in their low-carbon future.
Dr Williamson said: “We are really excited about working with our partners in The Gambia and Ghana developing African-centred, transdisciplinary research, and leveraging the expertise and experience of partners in South Africa, Nepal and Brazil in the development of appropriate, impactful, local energy solutions. This project’s focus on well-being will put people at the heart of the energy access challenge, driving for equity and inclusion.”
This award is the result of efforts from multiple individuals and organisations in the UK, The Gambia, Ghana, Brazil and Nepal. Project Partners include; Medical Research Council – The Gambia Unit at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (MRCG); Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST); University of The Gambia (UTG) University of West England (UWE); University of Leeds; Mbolo Association The Gambia; People, Energy and Environment Development Association Nepal (PEEDA); African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town (ACC); and Universidade Federal do Pará Brazil (UFPA).
