Global Energy Access Forum
The Global Energy Access Forum (GEAF) establishes mechanisms for sharing information on needs defined by the energy access community and new capabilities enabled by fast-moving technologies, business and financing models, and use-cases – which together can accelerate the access to energy and its utilization at scale.
On 30 June 2021, a workshop was organized by IEEE. The workshop attracted over 300 attendees, including diverse stakeholders in Energy Access. The meeting identified a need to bring together a diverse group of energy access stakeholders, including policy, technology, business, social impact, finance, end-users, and NGOs, to create alignment in goals, metrics, strategy, and approach to achieve the objective of universal access to abundant and sustainable energy for all by 2040. Because of this, the GEAF was established by the IEEE to address this need.
Attendees at this workshop were from the Agsol, Center for Distributed Energy, Collaborative Labeling and Appliance Standards Program (CLASP), Elk Coast Institute, Energy Swaraj Foundation (EBL I Team SoULS), Eskom, Freeing Energy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Global Solutions Summit, Global Thermostat, Havenhill Synergy, International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Meshpower (EBL Team Xpower), National University of Singapore, Netherlands Enterprise Agency, Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency, On Semiconductor, Schneider Electric, Solaris Off-Grid, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), University of Central Florida, University of Twente, and World Bank.
On 21 March 2023, a second workshop was organized by IEEE. The meeting theme was Accelerating Deployment of Scalable and Sustainable Productive Use Energy Access. It brought together experts from global aid organizations, NGOs and foundations involved in energy access and a cadre of technical experts from IEEE to explore how technically and economically viable solutions can be developed and deployed at scale. Key issues to be addressed include technology, social impact, business models, regulatory issues, climate impact and sustainability.
Did you know 700 million people in the world today still live with no access to electricity and around 3 billion live with energy poverty so severe that it impacts their lives?
21st-century technologies hold the promise of scalable solutions to abundant energy that is affordable, clean, and equitable. Learn about Empower a Billion Lives, the GEAF’s global competition to develop and deploy a scalable holistic solution to complex issues of abundant energy access, equity, and sustainability.
How to Join
GEAF membership is open and free for all participants, both as a partner organization and as an individual. This includes both IEEE and non-IEEE members. GEAF members can also be a part of an EBL team and participate in all GEAF-organized events, such as virtual workshops and webinars.