Jelila, walking from the classroom to the dormitory together with two friends from Tumaini Lifeworks Girls’ Secondary School in Kakuma, Kenya. Without access to sustainable and reliable electricity the school lacks outdoor lights. The girls are afraid of snakes, scorpions and spiders. With the support from NORCAP and UNHCR, solar-power systems are being installed at schools, health centres, refugee reception centres and other facilities in the area. But more needs to be done. (Photo: Ingebjørg Kårstad/NRC)
As the world prepares for the COP30 climate conference in November, the need for strong and scalable financial solutions to tackle climate change has never been clearer. Despite progress, there is still a significant gap in funding, especially in areas affected by conflict. A new NORCAP white paper highlights innovative finance as a way to close this gap and improve access to clean energy in humanitarian settings.
By **Joseph Ubek and Hajar Al-Kaddo** Published 10. Mar 2025
NORCAP is leading the way in using these innovative finance methods, to bring about change in energy access.
Camilla Fulland, who heads Energy and Sustainable Responses at NORCAP, emphasises the importance of this approach.
“In humanitarian situations, we aim to increase energy access by combining different types of funding – humanitarian grants, development finance and commercial investments. This approach helps address the lack of funding for energy projects in these settings and promotes sustainable energy solutions,” she says.
The white paper also highlights how using innovative finance in humanitarian settings can promote a fair and inclusive transition to clean energy. It shows how these efforts support humanitarian goals and align with global sustainability targets.
Hajar Al-Kaddo, NORCAP’s Energy Thematic Manager, emphasises NORCAP's dedication to improving their experts' skills.
“We are exploring ways to blend different types of finance to boost investments in humanitarian energy access. We are also training our experts in these methods to improve the projects they work on and strengthen the organisations they support, which is crucial for long-term energy solutions in challenging environments,” Hajar explains.
The article aims to spark discussion, inspire action, and encourage the use of innovative finance to increase energy access in humanitarian settings, offering both environmental and economic benefits.
By tackling these issues directly, NORCAP hopes to set an example for future initiatives and drive a global shift towards sustainable energy access even for the most vulnerable populations.
NORCAP is leading the way in using these innovative finance methods, to bring about change in energy access.
Camilla Fulland, who heads Energy and Sustainable Responses at NORCAP, emphasises the importance of this approach.
“In humanitarian situations, we aim to increase energy access by combining different types of funding – humanitarian grants, development finance and commercial investments. This approach helps address the lack of funding for energy projects in these settings and promotes sustainable energy solutions,” she says.
The white paper also highlights how using innovative finance in humanitarian settings can promote a fair and inclusive transition to clean energy. It shows how these efforts support humanitarian goals and align with global sustainability targets.
Hajar Al-Kaddo, NORCAP’s Energy Thematic Manager, emphasises NORCAP's dedication to improving their experts' skills.
“We are exploring ways to blend different types of finance to boost investments in humanitarian energy access. We are also training our experts in these methods to improve the projects they work on and strengthen the organisations they support, which is crucial for long-term energy solutions in challenging environments,” Hajar explains.
The article aims to spark discussion, inspire action, and encourage the use of innovative finance to increase energy access in humanitarian settings, offering both environmental and economic benefits.
By tackling these issues directly, NORCAP hopes to set an example for future initiatives and drive a global shift towards sustainable energy access even for the most vulnerable populations.