White Paper on sustainable energy projects in Africa

Claire Guibert, Jeremy Debreu

Description

With almost 600 million people having no access to energy in Sub-Saharan Africa, rural electrification is a major challenge for the development of the continent.
This White Paper highlights 25 energy projects currently being developed in Africa. Its aims is to analyse their best practices and understand the key success factors.
This eBook is offered by the Fondation Schneider Electric.

Sujets

• Geothermal gradient
• Économie de l'environnement

Informations

• Publié par: MkF Éditions
• Nombre de lectures: 20
• EAN13: 9791092305135
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Claire Guibert & Jeremy Debreu

White paper on sustainable energy projects in Africa
Executive summary
With almost 600 million people having no access to energy services in Africa, decentralization rural electrification is a major challenge for the development of the continent, though technologies are known and available on the market. Despite abundant sources of energy, electricity is scarce and expensive in Sub-Saharan Africa; prices are even higher than the average in other parts of the world.
Africa Express studied 25 energy projects shortlisted by a Strategic Committee. The aim was to identify the preconditions to a successful project. We visited a sample of diverse energy projects that is representative of those being developed on the continent. Diversity lies in the people working for these projects and the sources of energy they use, and also in the impact on the beneficiaries, these projects being at various stages of development.
There is no such thing as a perfect access to energy program, even in those we selected. Each of them faced difficulties linked to their business model, leadership, interactions with beneficiaries and stakeholders, or choices made by owners. In fact business developers play an essential part in making successful sustainable energy project . They must also make sure the funders and the people who run the projects are well coordinated; it is essential for its success.


It is thus important to consider replicating such projects. There isn’t just a single unchanging best way to ensure the success of a project. It is all about finding a balance, understanding nuances and making even the smallest adjustments to fit the local contexts. Only then best practices can be outlined and highlighted as a model to work towards and to be reproduced.
The goal of this White Paper is to be a source of inspiration for current and future entrepreneurs, donors and their financial partners, and energy policy-makers. We will identify the following key findings:
• An energy service project must be adapted to the local context: it cannot be a black-and-white interpretation of a theoretical or pre-existing model.
• Technological innovation alone does not guarantee success. There must also be social innovation to better fit the reality in the field. New, practical solutions must be identified both in terms of funding and project development.
• Interactions with relevant stakeholders determine whether or not the project will run smoothly. One aspect is particularly crucial: beneficiaries must be willing to take the project and its implications in their hands. Ideally, the users can initiate the project and can also manage it as it grows.
• Implementing a business model that can ensure the funding and economic viability of the operation is also an important factor for the success of energy access projects. Without reliable financial partners, growth strictly limited by capital. It is therefore very important to collaborate with public and private partners and to be transparent by providing them regular updates.
• These experiences confirm the importance of the project manager's role. Beyond the technical aspects and specific economic model, the success of an energy access project depends in part on his ability to understand needs, to include the local community, and to develop reliable relationships with financial partners thus ensuring positive and sustainable management.
• Finally, training all those involved in rural electrification means investing in human capital . Continuing education ensures the sustainability of existing projects. It will also help provide new jobs in this field, thus being a source of sustainable growth for developing countries.
-I-
The Africa Express project


Introducing Africa Express
The team
Africa Express is a study of access to energy projects conducted in 2012 in 22 African countries. The study was carried out as part of the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All.
This study, focused on decentralized rural electrification, was designed, directed and carried out by Claire Guibert and Jeremy Debreu.
Since 2007, Claire Guibert was head of cultural projects at the NGO GoodPlanet, and worked with Yann Arthus-Bertrand for four years, before creating Africa Express with Jeremy Debreu in 2011.
With 7 years of experience working in NGOs and as a consultant, Jeremy Debreu is a project manager specializing in sustainable energy-related projects and green standards setting.
This book is a compilation of the results and findings of their study tour.
Africa Expressis a French non-profit organization. It is not affiliated with any particular group of interest and does not favor nor exclude any type of energy or energy project. The selection of projects took place in February 2012 and was done by an independent Strategic Committee. The good practices presented in this White Paper are based on the experiences of Claire Guibert and Jeremy Debreu and reflect their personal views only.
For more information: www.africaexpress.org
White Paper on energy services project management
This book is primarily intended for energy project managers in developing countries, local, regional and international donors who fund these projects, and local and international institution policy-makers working towards access to energy for all. More broadly, it may interest anyone that is involved in the field of energy now or in the future, employees and representatives of NGOs and businesses, teachers and students.
This White Paper aims to serve as a capitalization tool on achievements and demonstrations of progress made in energy project management by highlighting the key success factors and best practices for these projects and showing which pitfalls to avoid. These experiences can serve as a reference and contribute to the dissemination and replication of inspiring projects, while facilitating a learning process that goes beyond the projects themselves.
This White Paper is not a comprehensive list of all the technical solutions and products that can make access to energy easier. Neither is it a technical guide to building and installing electrical systems. Finally, competition is not intended in the comparisons that can be made between projects.
Methodology used for project selection
For the purposes of this project, Africa Express formed an independent Strategic Committee composed of about fifteen energy and development experts from institutions, businesses, NGOs, and media. The objective wasto select pertinent energy projects to study, based upon suggestions from a diverse network of specialists either working in or who have contacts in the field.



Strategic Committee
Yann Arthus-Bertrand : Photographer, film director, President and founder, Fondation GoodPlanet
Alexis Bonnel : Development-Environment Advisor, AFD
Hervé Gouyer : Secretary General, Électriciens Sans Frontières
Françoise Destais : Programme Officer, PNUE
Virginie De Gouvello : Bioenergy Project Manager, ONF International
Sibylle D'Orgeval : Adventurer, Film Director
Jean-Pierre Favennec : President, Association Development Energy for Africa
Christine Heuraux : Director of Training Support, EDF
Galitt Kenan : Project Manager, 7 billion Others, Fondation GoodPlanet
Blandine Laurenty : Founder, Engineering Global Growth–Energy
Joël LeLostec : Director of the BipBop Programme, Schneider Electric
Alessandra Moscadelli : Communications Manager, GVEP International
Baptiste Roux Dit Riche : Environmental Journalist, Cleantech Republic
Hélène Sabathié-Akonor : International Project Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, ADEME
Matthieu Tiberghien : Director of programs, Etc Terra
Damien Wiedmer : Project Manager, Enea Consulting

After a pre-selection, an international call for applications was opened from July to December 2011. Approximately a hundred organizations submitted one or more energy projects to be shortlisted by the Strategic Committee.



Sustainable energy by the UNO
• Promotes access to modern and affordable energy services in developing countries using reliable energy sources which are economically viable, socially acceptable and ecologically sound.
• Supports implementation of national policies and strategies combining the following principles:
ENCOURAGE use of new and renewable energy sources and low-pollution technologies
INCREASE energy yield
GIVE PREFERENCE to new technologies, including methods for reducing pollution from fossil fuel energy
USE traditional energy sources more intelligently
REINFORCE national capacities in developing and transitional countries through international cooperation
www.sustainableenergyforall.org
Pre-selection criteria
Throughout the month of January 2012, every member of the Strategic Committee evaluated the projects following a predetermined list of weighted criteria: compliance to the definition of "sustainable energy" established by the United Nations, positive economic, social, and environmental impact, and replicability of the project.
In February 2012, the results of the preselection were discussed with the Strategic Committee in order to make a final shortlist of 22 projects (with an additional 3 energy entrepreneurs added through the GVEP).


Africa is the only populated area plunged into darkness. Satellite view, Nasa.


Shortlist of Sustainable energy projects
The infographic on the following page shows