Addressing the lack of access to clean, reliable and affordable energy services for billions of people is one of the world’s most critical development challenges and is becoming increasing prominent on the international agenda.

Business is the primary solution provider in delivering access to energy, bringing to the table innovative products and services, efficient delivery, essential technologies, management and technical capabilities, and financial resources.

The UN has recommended that the international community adopts a global development goal of universal energy access by 2030. This goal has now been included as one of the three objectives of the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All Initiative and the year 2012 has been declared the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All to bring a greater level of attention to the issue.

The WBCSD has launched the Access to Energy Initiative to help business and other key stakeholders understand how the business contribution to access to energy can be maximized. The Initiative is co-chaired by GDF SUEZ, Schneider Electric and ERM, and has 21 member companies actively engaged in its core group. The Initiative focuses on the key opportunity areas to scaling the business contribution: innovative business models, enabling policy frameworks and financing mechanisms. Collaboration and partnerships are key cross-cutting enablers.

The major activities in 2012 will be:

• Dissemination of the new publication – Business solutions to enable energy access for all. This document highlights the critical role that business plays in enhancing access to energy and, more broadly, in the expansion and transformation of national energy systems to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy for all. It includes 19 member company case studies.
• Advocacy and engagement activities focused on presenting a business voice in international discussions on how to achieve universal access to energy by 2030.
• Involvement in key international and regional initiatives focused on promoting on-the-ground action to scale business investment in expanding access to energy.
• Facilitation of regional- and national-level dialogues to understand the key challenges and opportunities in the main regions and countries where energy access is both a development challenge and a business opportunity.