Energy in emergencies and humanitarian settings

Crisis-affected and at-risk populations, including refugees, internally displaced and host communities often lack access to clean and reliable energy for cooking, heating and electricity. Traditional biomass fuels such as firewood and charcoal are the primary energy source, posing health, environmental and security risks, and economic burdens, particularly for women and children.

Integrating sustainable energy into humanitarian responses is key to addressing these challenges. FAO promotes green energy solutions that provide sustainable energy access in displacement settings, reduce environmental impacts and provide a foundation for recovery and long-term development and resilience.

These efforts include a focus on:

• Solar energy for off-grid power, supporting community services such as health centres, schools, and water systems;
• Sustainable bioenergy solutions, including efficient biomass cookstoves and biogas production to reduce reliance on firewood.
• Renewable energy for productive uses, such as food processing, cold chains and small businesses, enhancing self-reliance and reducing economic losses.
• Waste-to-energy approaches, including anaerobic digestion for biogas, to improve sanitation while generating clean fuel.

To scale up sustainable energy in emergencies and humanitarian settings, robust data collection and assessments are essential. Identifying viable energy solutions requires collaboration between governments, humanitarian organizations and the private sector. FAO and its partners are working to integrate energy planning into emergency responses by conducting energy needs assessments to inform project design, supporting policy frameworks that promote clean cooking and renewable energy adoption, raising awareness and facilitating technology transfer and capacity building and encouraging public-private investments in sustainable energy infrastructure.