Introduction to Humanitarian Energy Data Platform 1.0

Platform Introduction

The GPA coordination unit developed a data visualization tool with the ambition to address a current issue raised by the World Bank that “data on energy use among displaced people in camps and host communities are scarce” (World Bank, 2017). So far, energy data received little attention as energy is a cross cutting issue within humanitarian activities in displacement settings. In addition, data are collected from different sources with different. This situation results in scattered, non-comparable and inaccessible data.

As a solution, this data platform assembles different parts of the puzzle to offer practitioners, humanitarian organizations and private sector the insights on (1) energy access in settlements, (2) their ecosystem (3) and national context.

With a list of more than 40 indicators distributed among four dynamic reports, the platform aims to answer questions, track progress and inform. Thanks to its “pick and choose functionality”, the tool supports interventions’ prioritization effort and helps identify opportunities with evidence gathered through field surveys, project data and public information.

The platform compiles, centralizes, and visualizes data at camp, country, and cluster level to answer questions such as:

  • What are the number of displaced persons in a country?
  • How many persons in a given settlements?
  • Is the energy regulatory framework is conducive to sustainable energy development?
  • Is there solar kiosk in or around the settlement?
  • Is the settlement connected to the national grid?
  • Is there cash distribution program in the settlements?
 

The platform was first established by the GPA in December 2020 with the participation of thirteen partners from humanitarian and energy sectors via a data sharing exercise (see GPA Steering Group and Sponsors). This first round of data compilation informed about (1) the important data gap regarding energy data in displacement settings, (2) the lack of data sharing agreement, (3) the issue of data confidentiality and (4) the difficulty to harmonize indicators.

This platform informs only about country, camps, organizations and projects that were available and could be accessed at the time of the collection process and within the resources available.

At the current stage of development, the Humanitarian Energy Data Platform version 1.0 offers data on a limited number of camps, countries, and organizations with the objective to expand and deepen the scope of data with country deep dive programmes such as the current READS programme initiated and led by the GPA coordination unit with the support of Ikea Foundation and NORCAP.

Further information

We welcome comments and feedback about the Humanitarian Energy Data Platform. To get in touch, report an issue, or make a suggestion, please contact energy@unitar.org.

  1. Humanitarian Energy Baseline (typology from interviews)

    1. Country
    2. Camp and settlement
    3. Number of displaced persons
    4. Electricity access: Typology of lighting source
    5. Cooking technology: Typology of cooking fuel
  2. Settlement Profile (field surveys)
    1. Country
    2. Type of camp and settlements
    3. Number of shelters
    4. Duration of camp’s existence in years
    5. Conducive environment overall score
      1. Energy & Policy score
        1. Humanitarian energy officer in the camp/country
        2. CRFF signed
        3. Camp access to national grid
        4. Solar kiosk available
        5. Installed renewable source in the camp
        6. Regulatory Indicators for Sustainable energy (RISE®)
      2. Livelihood score
        1. Humanitarian livelihood officer in the camp/country
        2. Right to work for the displaced persons
        3. Right to move in and out of the camp
        4. Households capacity to generate income
      3. Finance structure score
        1. Mobile phone available in the camp
        2. Financial service available, at least mobile money
        3. Cash distribution programme, voucher CBI in place
        4. Demand for productive use of electricity
  3. National Context Indicators (public information)
    1. Displaced population (UNHCR, IDMC)
    2. Rural access to electricity (ESMAP)
    3. Ease to implement energy intervention
      1. Ease of doing business (WEF)
      2. Regulatory Indicators for Sustainable energy (RISE®)
      3. Diesel and grid price (survey)
      4. Public flow in PV technology (IRENA)
      5. Installed renewable energy capacity (IRENA)
    4. Economics
      1. Agriculture land (WEF)
      2. Net official development assistance received (WEF)
      3. GDP (WEF)
      4. Net foreign direct investment (WEF)
    5. Needs
      1. Youth, population age 0–14 year-old (World Bank)
      2. Youth unemployment rate (World Bank)
      3. SDG Index score (ESMAP)
      4. Human development index (World Bank)

The platform covers African, Middle Eastern and Asian countries with displaced populations registered by UNHCR and IOM. Camps and settlements data are limited by and depend on the GPA and partners’ capacity to access the settlements sites and data sources. It is the role and mandate of the GPA to expand and deepen the data coverage of energy access in displacement settings with incremental addition of sites, indicators and other dimensions.

  1. Humanitarian Energy Baseline - Chatham House

  2. Settlement Profile - Field surveys from UNHCR country offices
  3. National Context Indicators - Public information
    1. UNHCR
    2. IOM
    3. IDMC
    4. ESMAP
    5. IRENA
    6. World Bank
    7. WEF

In line with SDG7 and to support the leave no one behind principle, the GPA aims to compile, centralize, and visualize data for public access to consolidated views and global insights of the displaced persons and their host communities energy situation. The GPA bases its data compilation effort on a network of practitioners, experts and academics in the humanitarian field and energy sector (see GPA Steering Group and Sponsors).

Humanitarian Energy Baseline

The camps and settlements typology is based on the work produced by the Moving Energy Initiative (MEI) which was updated for the State of the Humanitarian Energy Sector (SOHES) report published in 2022. The update derives from country office interviews, humanitarian organisations country report, or humanitarian organisations data shared and expertise from experts.

Settlement Profile

A field survey was developed in consultation with humanitarian and energy experts to compile the critical set of indicators related to energy, livelihood and finance structure. The questions are design for ‘yes’ and ‘no’ answer to best reflect the camps profile given the limited resources available for data collection activities. The indicators allow to score the camps according to both the readiness to energy intervention and the level of need. For this version 1.0 the survey covers six countries in Africa and was filled by UNHCR country offices. The countries are Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, and Tanzania.

National Context Indicators

National indicators are divided in three categories, (1) ease to implement energy project, (2) economics and (3) population needs level. The aim is to reflect the demand and supply level as well as the institutional readiness for renewable energy absorption within the local market. All data are from UNHCR, IOM, IDMC, ESMAP, IRENA, World Bank, and the WEF and publicly available.

  • What is it for?

This platform answers some questions on the energy situation of displaced persons in a few countries based on the information that GPA could access at the time of the data collection process. It contains information of the energy access situation in displacement settings to support energy intervention prioritization, track progress and help identify opportunities.

 

  • What this platform is not?

This platform is not an exhaustive list of camps, a fix number on which to base a global energy intervention or a frozen and complete picture of the energy situation in displacement settings. It rather aims to assess the factors that drive energy interventions and identify patterns and trends of the moving and dynamic humanitarian energy environment.

 

  • For whom was it designed? To whom is it destinated?

This platform was designed for

  • Practitioners at country level looking for benchmark
  • Humanitarian personnel at regional and HQ level interested in consolidated data
  • Energy specialist outside humanitarian field willing to have a quick and high-level understanding of the drivers, trends and patterns of the sector
  • Academics interested in indicators relevant for humanitarian energy data
  • Researchers looking for information on energy access in fragile context

 

  • What is new from the previous version?
  • Humanitarian Energy Baseline - this report is new and was added
  • Settlement Profile - this report is an upgrade of the prototype version. The data updated come from a first round of survey collected from country office.
  • National Context Indicators - this report is an upgrade of the prototype version of country Market Analysis. All public data have been updated.
  • Healthcare facilities report is new. It is a beta version and inform about location and energy consumption of healthcare facilities in 18 African countries where UNHCR have health clinics. Information were provided by UNHCR country offices.

 

  • How the tool differentiates from other energy platform

This tool is complementary to other existing platforms with a focus on displaced persons energy access without organization, geographic or thematic limitation. It aims to gather and provide a global understanding of the access to energy of the displaced persons and their host communities. It brings together national and project data, energy and humanitarian data, livelihood and economic data.

 

  • How is it structured?

The tool has four reports covering a list of more than 40 indicators. The indicators aim to answer questions, track progress and inform. Thanks to its “pick and choose functionality”, the tool supports interventions’ prioritization effort and helps identify opportunities with evidence gathered through field surveys, project data and public information.

Humanitarian Energy Baseline

5 indicators inform about the energy access level in displacement settings.

Settlement Profile

19 indicators provide a high level snapshot of a camp. Profile is made of three scores that comprise energy, livelihood and finance indicators. The report informs about the need and ecosystem readiness for renewable energy project integration.

National Context Indicators

15 Publicly available indicators reflect the demand and supply level as well as the national readiness for renewable energy absorption within the local market. All data are from UNHCR, IOM, IDMC, ESMAP, IRENA, World Bank, and the WEF and publicly available.

Healthcare facilities landscaping report

Indicators inform about location and energy consumption of 40 healthcare facilities in 18 African countries where UNHCR have health clinics.

Last updated: 02/12/2022

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