Elizabeth Wangeci Chege sits down with Souleymane Ba, an impact investment leader at Leapfrog Investments. Souleymane brings extensive experience in driving prosperity and resilience in emerging markets.      

They talk through the crucial role of investment in the transition to clean energy, the opportunities and challenges in emerging markets, and the importance of sustainable development for a healthy planet. “This is the biggest opportunity of our lifetime”, says Souleymane. Where is the money coming from and where does it need to go?

This episode was recorded at the SEforALL Global Forum in Barbados, March 2025.

Elizabeth Wangeci Chege hosts two visionaries in sustainable energy, Gonzalo Bravo and Yasmeen Oraby, who explore the pivotal role of the energy transition in reshaping the future.

Recorded at the the SEforALL Forum in Barbados, they discuss the transformative strategies and stories from the Global South that are driven by solid data.

Gonzalo Bravo is Head of Energy Department at the Bariloche Foundation. His work involves developing long-term energy strategies in alignment with national commitments for sustainable development. He advocates for financial solutions to scale renewable energy and address energy access deficits, particularly in Africa, highlighting his commitment to advancing development in regions with the highest need. Yasmeen Oraby is Program Manager at the Economic Research Forum, and she works to deliver economic research to regional areas and empower youth and women in energy.

"Investment in affordable renewable energy and improving access to affordable energy is something that the world is focused on," said Lilia Burunciuc, Director of the World Bank for the Caribbean, to host Elizabeth Wangeci Chege in this episode of Let’s Talk About Energy. It’s a global issue, but there are plenty of success stories from the Caribbean.

Lilia and Elizabeth talk about global efforts to transition towards clean energy, highlighting some of the World Bank's most successful projects in the Caribbean: improving energy efficiency in public buildings and a St. Lucia initiative that cut government energy bills by 80%.

Elizabeth also discusses the importance of energy efficiency in buildings. They call for global collaboration and a more inclusive sector, working to provide everyone with a dignified life powered by sustainable energy.

This episode was recorded at the SEforALL Global Forum in Barbados, March 2025.

Host Elizabeth Wangeci Chege talks with Jessica Lough, Executive Climate Strategy and Operations Leader at GE Vernova. Jessica discusses the company mission to electrify and decarbonise, with a focus on new technologies in carbon capture, direct air capture, hydrogen, and small modular reactors.

Jessica talks through GE Vernova's sustainability framework which is built around four pillars: conserve, decarbonise, electrify, and thrive. GE Vernova is pioneering renewable energy projects, informed by ongoing research and development. Hear how one of the most innovative energy companies is managing decarbonisation goals with rising energy demand.

This episode was recorded at the SEforALL Global Forum in Barbados, March 2025.

Anant Wadhwa and Elizabeth Wangeci Chege talk with Dr Harikumar, Director of the Energy Management Center in Kerala, India, to explore the rapid developments in energy technology in the region, particularly in hydrogen and electric vehicles. In this episode, he discusses his 35 years in the energy sector, and his insights from the past few years of energy innovation.     

Despite improved efficiency, energy consumption and emissions are both rising. It’s a global issue, so what can be done in India where demand is soaring? Dr Harikumar highlights Kerala's policies and training programmes aimed at improving energy efficiency, with a particular focus on buildings. He stresses the importance of sustainable practices and respecting environmental resources, urging action towards greener energy use. Learn how he and his team are spearheading projects that are making Kerala’s buildings greener and cheaper.

This episode was recorded at the SEforALL Global Forum in Barbados, March 2025.

In front of a panel of experienced clean energy investors, SEforALL invited three exciting entrepreneurs to pitch their solutions to the biggest problems we face in energy access and sustainability. From using sargassum seaweed in Barbados to fuel a critical industry, to deploying solar innovations in Nigeria and Honduras, these trailblazers share their innovative approaches and the impact of their projects.

Helen Watts, Executive Director of Student Energy, welcomes three visionaries: Paola Rodriguez Smith, General Manager of Soluz Honduras’ decentralized solar platform, Deborah Fadeyi, founder of Ecowise and their clean energy finance model for Africa, and Dr. Legena Henry’s Rum and Sargassum, a project pioneering biofuel made from marine biomass.

Which project will make the most impact? Which is the most economically viable? And who will walk away with the investment needed to take the project to the next level?

"The Latin American region is at 98% energy access, but it's clear that the approach and the investments that got you to 98 are not going to get you to 100," says Isabel Beltran, Vice President, Latin America & the Caribbean at the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet. The GEAPP focuses on expanding energy access, fostering green economies, and supporting the energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean. Elizabeth and Anant sit down with Isabel to discuss her work and the role of global partnerships.

That's Latin America, but what about Africa? Caroline Eboumbou is CEO of All On, a leading impact funder in the renewable energy off-grid space in Nigeria, aiming to connect both the unserved and under-served populations to sustainable energy. The unserved and under-served are two groups for whom energy access is a major priority; Caroline explains how All On is working to get energy to them.

Finally, Anant and Elizabeth speak with Ashvin Dayal, Senior Vice President for Power at the Rockefeller Foundation, to discuss his work in leveraging public, private, and philanthropic partnerships to make a real impact.

COP 30 in Belem, Brazil, is on the horizon. One of the key themes is climate finance, with trillions needed to deploy clean energy in Africa and Latin America.

Joseph Nganga, Special Envoy for Mission 300, sits down with Elizabeth Wangeci Chege to discuss the ambitious goal of bringing clean and sustainable electricity to 300 million people by 2030. They talk about the power of collaboration - between governments, financial institutions, and young innovators - to drive real change. The Dar es Salaam Declaration on Energy is a key example of this collaboration; it's shaping commitments across Africa. What does it involve and how much money needs to flow to the continent?

Plus, with COP30 on the horizon, Nigel Topping joins the show to shed light on the key summits and global forums paving the way for a cleaner, more connected future. Nigel is the founder of Ambition Loop and a former UN Climate Champion for COP26. He talks about the technology we have available already to accelerate the energy transition, and why the only barrier left is finance. "The more you build, the more you learn, the cheaper they get", says Nigel.

There is urgent need for action to combat climate change. Half of Africa, or about 600 million people, still don't have access to reliable electricity, not least sustainable energy. The global moonshot required to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 looks out of reach in 2025. So what path can we take to accelerate the mission? To find out, Anant Wadhwa and Elizabeth Wangeci Chege speak with John Defterios, board member of Sustainable Energy for All and Senior Fellow at the World Economic Forum. John explains how renewable investment trends are surpassing traditional energy sectors, and discusses the ambitious financial targets necessary to mitigate climate change effectively by 2050.

You'll learn about the transformative power of solar wind technologies in sub-Saharan Africa, and why battery storage advancements are the next frontier in renewable energy.

Plus, John's decades of experience in energy have taught him a few things about the impact of geopolitical developments on energy policy, the importance of mapping energy resources, and strategies for modernizing energy grids. He shares them with us on Let's Talk About Energy.

Barbados may be a small island, but it's a frontrunner in clean energy, targeting net-zero emissions ahead of the global schedule.

It's also the location for the 6th annual SEforALL Global Forum. Anant Wadhwa and Elizabeth Wangeci Chege welcome industry leaders and global energy decision-makers, to discuss the path to ensuring everyone, everywhere can live a dignified life on a healthy planet.

One of those industry leaders is Damilola Ogunbiyi - CEO of SEforALL. She joins the podcast to talk through the role of youth in driving change and the importance of an energised transition for future generations.

There are many examples of pioneering decarbonisation efforts going on around the world. One of those is the revolutionary Formula E - the electric version of motorsport Formula 1. Jeff Dodds is CEO at Formula E, and he takes us through their contribution to fast-tracking the energy transition. He discusses the challenges in electric vehicle adoption, and how the sport is shaping the future of e-mobility.

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