HEDON Household Energy Network

HEDON

Type	Charitable organisation
Focus	Knowledge sharing, learning, networking
Location	London, United Kingdom
Area served	Worldwide
Members	> 4000
Slogan	Household Energy Network
Website	http://www.hedon.info

HEDON Household Energy Network (also known as just HEDON) is a development charity registered in the United Kingdom^[1] that focuses on household energy solutions in developing countries.^[2] Its aim is to improve social, economic, and environmental conditions in the South, through promotion of local, regional, national and international initiatives in the household energy sector.^[3][4]

History

HEDON was registered as a charity under the Charity Commission for England and Wales in 2011. HEDON was first established in 1992 as a forum for northern partners with interest in household energy issues in the south.^[5] Eco Ltd took over the coordination of the network in 1998, and HEDON has since evolved into a global knowledge-oriented voluntary network.^[6]

Publication

HEDON publishes a practitioner's journal, Boiling Point, for those working with household energy and cookstoves. It deals with technical, social, financial and environmental issues and aims to improve the quality of life for poor communities living in developing countries. Articles are contributed by readers and peer reviewed; the journal is a forum for the sharing of information and experiences on household energy. Boiling Point reaches over five thousand addresses and has around five times that number of readers worldwide. Boiling Point was created in 1982 by Practical Action who published the first 52 issues.^[7][8]

Resources

Databases

Among its databases there is one of the largest and most comprehensive collection of cookstoves, alongside a newer database of biodigesters. There are also databases of organisations working in the household energy sector, related publications and projects.

Forums

HEDON runs forums under various energy related topics; carbon emissions, household air pollution, biogas, etc. These are hosted as groups on the professional networking website, LinkedIn.

Meetings

HEDON holds regional interest group meetings nicknamed RIGs. There are location-based groupings of HEDON members, to enable those in or around the area to meet up. They aim to promote increased and more effective cooperation between people working in key household energy sectors, and have so far been held in the UK, US and Cameroon.

Partners

HEDON has a large number of member organisations and partners. Notable partner organisations include GIZ, Eco Ltd, Engineers Without Borders UK, Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves,^[9] GVEP International,^[10] International Institute for Environment and Development^[11] and Practical Action.^[12]

References