UNDP Yemen wins acclaimed international Ashden Awards

A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Yemen project that addresses solar power needs and provides solutions and hope for three frontline conflict communities has been announced as the winner of the acclaimed Ashden Awards for Humanitarian Energy.

“UNDP Yemen is our first ever winner for energy in a humanitarian setting and we were especially inspired by the empowered role the women have in the ownership of the community microgrids,” says Harriet Lamb, CEO of Ashden.

UNDP Yemen has been recognized as one of the world’s most practical and scalable low carbon innovators and was among 11 winners selected from over 200 global applications in the areas of creating resilience, green growth, and fairer societies.

As part of a UNDP-managed joint project, the Enhanced Rural Resilience in Yemen (ERRY), the initiative addresses two major issues for the communities of Hajjah and Lahj: access to affordable and sustainable energy and providing sustainable income to Yemen’s most vulnerable population, women and youth.

Cutting the cost of energy by 65 percent, UNDP has worked with the women and youth to train, develop, and manage micro-grid businesses to help electrify their communities one home and business at a time. “Community-owned solar microgrids are an ideal low carbon energy solution in any circumstance but is even more powerful given the conflict and ongoing hardship in Yemen,” says Harriet Lamb, CEO of Ashden. The project has helped 2,100 people gain access to disposable income and 10,000 people with access to sustainable energy.

The UNDP program has enabled communities’ access to affordable energy when there are no other viable solutions, by applying unique, low-cost, and sustainable solar microgrid solutions. Instead of diesel costing 42 cents an hour, solar energy costs only 2 cents, enabling the average person access. The solar microgrids offer an alternative, clean, and renewable energy source that allows rural homes and businesses the ability to afford undisrupted electricity for hours.

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