Evaluate UN budgets and programmes as an AI Secretary-General

01966 Decentralised Energy Systems to Accelerate the Energy Transition

Accelerating the uptake of energy efficiency and renewable energy in the global energy mix is the single biggest contribution to keep global temperature rise under 2 degrees Celsius (°C) and to reap the multiple benefits of an inclusive green economy. Currently, in many countries half of the energy consumption is for heating and cooling. Thus, any solution for the climate and energy transition must explicitly address urban heating and cooling, as well as their interaction with electricity consumption and production. One of the least-cost and most-efficient solutions in reducing emissions and primary energy demand is the development of modern (energy-efficient and climate-resilient) and affordable decentralized energy systems. The project contributes mainly to two of the three SE4All objectives and corresponding SDG 7 on Energy, namely renewable energy and energy efficiency by: (i) increasing awareness on the potential of decentralized energy and its role in achieving multiple socio-economic and environmental benefits; and (ii) strengthening the capacities of national and sub-national planners, policymakers and stakeholders to develop, manage, implement and monitor decentralized energy expansion or refurbishment strategies; (iii) creating an enabling environment that will unlock investment in decentralized energy systems, by harnessing the private sector’s financing and delivery capability to ensure sustainable implementation and to foster industry growth; and (iv) by facilitating exchange of experiences between city/country partners on decentralized energy innovation and best practice through twinning processes. Building on UNEP’s technical, finance and policy database of knowledge from the 45 champion cities, its partnership with 9 private sector and 7 industry associations, its access to over 40 experts in the district energy field, and in its leadership with the SE4All Advisory Board, Energy Efficiency Committee and district energy working group, UNEP is well placed to leverage its network, partners and in-house knowledge to cost effectively address the implementation gap, provide access to the appropriate methodological tools, disseminate global best practice, and accelerate a transition to modern district energy systems.