In this episode of Green Shift, we sit down with Dr. Mary Ann Franco, Senior Consultant and Regional Coordinator for Southeast Asia at Aquatera and a global network expert at the Centre for Strategic Energy and Resources (CSER). Dr. Franco shares her insights from years of research and fieldwork on how off-grid and island communities in Southeast Asia adopt renewable energy.

We explore the misconceptions about “easy” renewable adoption, the social and cultural dimensions that often determine whether projects succeed or fail, and the importance of building not just hardware and software, but what she calls “orgware”—the community structures that keep projects running in the long term.

From karaoke nights powered by diesel gensets to the role of women as household energy managers, this conversation uncovers the human side of energy transition and why community-led approaches are critical for lasting impact.

Show Notes

🎙️ Guest: Dr. Mary Ann Franco, Senior Consultant & Regional Coordinator (Southeast Asia) at Aquatera, and CSER Global Expert

🌱 Topics Covered:

What daily life really looks like in off-grid island communities

Why renewable energy projects often fail without social buy-in

The role of women and inclusion in sustainable energy adoption

How to move from “donation projects” to durable community energy solutions

The concept of orgware—and why it’s the missing piece in many energy projects

🔗 Here are the links to the projects Dr. Franco mentioned:

Rural Energy Hub: https://www.braeruralenergyhub.com/

https://communityenergy.scot/projects/rural-energy-hubs/

https://www.aquatera.co.uk/news/brae-rural-energy-hub-secures-significant-funding-boosting-its-community-impact

Ayrton POWERE Project: https://www.ukri.org/news/projects-funded-to-propel-low-carbon-energy-transition/

EC10 Wave-Powered Microgrid in Thailand: https://www.offshore-energy.biz/innovate-uk-grants-1-9-million-for-wave-energy-project-in-thailand/

#RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #SoutheastAsia #Sustainability #GreenShiftPodcast

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