“I am very proud to announce today the signing of our partnership agreement with Sustainable Energy for All, with which we will work to support the United Nations Secretary General and SEforAll with the aim of intensifying efforts towards electrification, ensuring universal access to reliable, modern and affordable energy services.”
Enel’s CEO Francesco Starace welcomed with satisfaction the partnership agreement signed on 3 April in New York with Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) CEO and United Nations Secretary-General Special Representative, Rachel Kyte, which lays the foundations for the creation of the SEforAll Electrification Accelerator.
A project that brings goal number 7 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda - global access to clean and affordable energy - closer.
Through the initiative, announced within the SEforALL Forum that takes place until 5 April, Enel will provide its expertise and know-how to drive electrification through network digitisation, mini grids and electric mobility.
In 2015 the Group formally committed to support the achievement of four of the United Nations 17 sustainable development goals, carrying out several projects that “have radically changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world,” said Starace. "Some of these projects involved the creation of off-grid systems using hybrid solutions; the setting up of IT-hubs in remote and poor areas to promote access to education, as well as waste recycling initiatives that offer discounts on electricity bills to consumers,” he added.
Speaking at the opening session of the SEforALL Forum, Starace also underlined that in this context “the digitisation of electrical networks is the key to integrating renewable sources and increasing energy efficiency,” and therefore access to sustainable energy systems, in environmental and economic terms.
Sustainable Energy for All is the international network created in 2010 on initiative of former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, to promote universal access to energy, energy efficiency and the use of renewable sources. Since June 2014, Francesco Starace is a member of the SEforALL advisory board.