Renewable energy – potentials for collaborations

Graham Ault

NIDOS Business Sharing Value?

Scottish business and international development

20th September 2011

www.nidos.org.uk

Context and Overview: African view

• Energy underpins Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)• Real need for sustainable energy solutions in developing countries• Off-grid energy development short-cuts grid extension• Need for demonstrated ‘sustainable models’ for off-grid energy development

to address poor record of success in off-grid power• Commercial approaches to energy development provide enhanced

sustainability potential – institutional and policy frameworks support this but are not wholly effective

• Recent Scottish Government study identifies several possibilities

Identified challenges to sustainability for energy projects in rural African communities

• Issues with finance, knowledge, support networks and governance/accountability

• Lack of consideration of whole lifecycle of installations• Technology that does not meet local energy requirements• Under-estimation of ongoing support requirements• Failure to understand the financial capacity of locals• Failure to understand the commercial possibilities of locals

Business contributions to energy development?

• Local manufacture and assembly of energy devices• Energy built into small-scale commercial enterprise• Network of distributors for energy technology• Income generating activity using local small-scale energy production• Micro-finance and grant administration for community renewable energy• Renewable energy and climate change policy expertise to support GoM• Wind power expertise for resource and feasibility assessment • Entrepreneurship possibilities for locally generated energy IP• Community development support, advice and networking