As climate-related crises grow in frequency and severity, humanitarian response systems must move beyond diesel-dependent stopgaps and invest in innovative solutions that can deliver clean, resilient energy systems that can operate at scale. Strategic clean energy investment is no longer optional—it is foundational to effective, sustainable humanitarian action and to long-term outcomes for crisis-affected communities - both for saving costs through renewable energy transitions and decreasing long-term aid dependency through community electrification for economic development.

This session brings together researchers and practitioners to explore how innovative clean energy technologies and appropriate financing models can transition from pilots to standard practice across humanitarian operations, refugee settings, and fragile off-grid contexts. It will explore how organizations can use market insight to help drive investments of innovative climate finance in humanitarian settings, and shape incentives from investors. Drawing on sectoral best practice convened by the Global Platform for Action (GPA), emerging research commissioned by Grand Challenges Canada and Innovation Norway and UNICEF’s real-world market insights, panelists will examine the evidence behind what works and what doesn’t, what scales, and what delivers lasting impact.

The discussion will focus on the investment and system-level barriers that continue to constrain adoption, including limited access to appropriate capital, fragmented procurement and demand signals, weak value chains and operationalisation & maintenance services, and misaligned incentives. Speakers will highlight innovative financing mechanisms, blended capital approaches, and new partnership models that are unlocking deployment of innovative clean energy solutions.

Looking ahead, the session will explore how research, data, and market design can inform smarter investment decisions and help build a more resilient, low-carbon energy ecosystem for humanitarian preparedness and response. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how the sector can mobilize capital, scale innovation, and shift from short-term fixes to clean energy solutions that reduce emissions, strengthen operations, and better serve affected communities.