We tend to think we live in a digital world, with hopes and fears around artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, data centres and the next big technological breakthrough. At the same time the transition to cleaner energy is accelerating, with renewable electricity now growing faster than any other source of power. But progress across the world is fractured. Behind it all remains a much greater challenge.
Around 666 million people still live without access to electricity and 2.1 billion without access to clean cooking solutions. For many families, this means relying on harmful, polluting fuels or hospitals without the reliable electricity needed to power essential equipment.
At the same time global power demand is projected to double by 2050 and technologies such as AI, the Internet of Things and smart energy systems are increasing the complexity and interdependence of energy and communication systems.
This is why the UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7), which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, is so important. Energy is not simply another development objective. It is the foundation on which progress in healthcare, education, economic growth, climate action and digital inclusion depends.
Affordable and clean energy is also a prerequisite for connectivity. Schools cannot benefit from online learning without power. Health clinics cannot use modern medical equipment without reliable electricity. Communities cannot participate in the digital economy without the energy infrastructure that underpins communications networks. In this sense, SDG 7 is closely connected to almost every aspect of modern life.
Much is being done to close the gap. Innovative technologies such as low-voltage direct current (LVDC) systems, solar photovoltaic installations, energy storage solutions and mini-grids are helping to bring electricity to communities that were previously beyond the reach of traditional power networks. Yet providing access is only part of the challenge. The real measure of success is whether these solutions continue to deliver benefits years after they are installed.
Too often, well-intentioned projects lack follow-through. Across parts of Africa, abandoned solar installations have become what some call solar graveyards - systems that once promised clean electricity but have fallen into disrepair. Without robust technical foundations, those gains risk being reversed. Communities can be forced back to polluting fuels and trust in new technologies is eroded.
International Standards help ensure that solutions are built to last. Harmonized worldwide, they provide the foundations for safety, quality, and interoperability. This means different components can work together and innovation can be tested and verified, giving investors confidence that projects will deliver value.
It is these challenges that the IEC Impact Alliance is working to address. Our first project brought reliable, clean electricity to rural schools and healthcare facilities in Kenya, empowering communities with improved healthcare and education. It did this by exploring the use of second-life lithium batteries to rehabilitate solar photovoltaic installations that had reached the end of their original life cycle. Supported by international standards, the project demonstrated how existing infrastructure can be restored and strengthened rather than abandoned.
This approach has the potential to be extended to many other existing solar PV installations across sub-Saharan Africa, where the vast majority of people without reliable electricity access live.
Our second project aims to accelerate access to clean cooking solutions in communities that need it most. Household air pollution, mostly from cooking smoke, is linked to around 3.7 million premature deaths a year. Cleaner technologies such as electric cookstoves exist, but limited access to electricity remains a major barrier to their use. We aim to bring standardization and conformity assessment more prominently into this sector to ensure more people have access to clean cooking solutions.
For more than a century, the IEC has supported electrification and energy access worldwide through the development of International Standards and conformity assessment systems. Through the IEC Impact Alliance, we are building new partnerships to bring these tools more directly into sustainable development efforts, helping to ensure that energy access is not only achieved, but maintained.
In the lead-up to this year's World Standards Day, held on 14 October, the message behind this years focus on SDG 7 is clear: access to affordable and clean energy is about creating reliable systems that communities can trust and depend on for decades. Standards and conformity assessment are key tools to support this and help turn the ambition of SDG 7 into practical, scalable solutions worldwide.
Learn more about the IEC Impact Alliance and World Standards Day 2026.
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We tend to think we live in a digital world, with hopes and fears around artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, data centres and the next big technological breakthrough. At the same time the transition to cleaner energy is accelerating, with renewable electricity now growing faster than any other source of power. But progress across the world is fractured. Behind it all remains a much greater challenge.
