Archive for category: Events

A new video release and a panel of past EEP Africa grant recipients mark the launch of the latest EEP Africa Call for Proposals

With a well-attended event on the first day of Africa Utility Week (AUW) in Cape Town, the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) and the EEP Africa team officially opened the EEP Africa Innovation window for new proposals. Guidelines and a launch video for the latest call can be accessed here. Interested applicants have until June 28 at 13h Helsinki time to submit proposals.

The Energy and Environment Partnership covering Southern and East Africa (EEP Africa) is a multi-donor fund hosted by NDF and providing early stage grant and catalytic financing to innovative clean energy projects, technologies and business models. It operates as an open, competitive challenge fund through regular rounds of Calls for Proposals (CfPs). Current funding partners include Austria, Finland and NDF.

Kicking off the event, Wim Jonker Klunne, Lead Coordinator for EEP Africa told the audience, “Coming straight from a panel on minigrid development just prior to this launch where two of the other panelists came from the EEP Africa portfolio, it is very clear that we have been able to advance projects on the ground with real impact, and we see a very clear signal that EEP Africa financing remains critical to the development of the clean energy sector in the region.”

“We have been working toward this day for more than 18 months. Thanks to so many people and partners for bringing us here,” said Charles Wetherill, NDF Manager for the EEP Africa Fund. “The next step is up to you in the audience, the project developers. Bring your best ideas, and let’s get to work on the next generation of innovative clean energy businesses, projects and technologies supporting sustainable and inclusive green growth in Southern and East Africa.”

EEP Africa was first launched in 2010 under the leadership of Finland with co-financing from Austria and the UK. It has been at the forefront of efforts to fast track clean energy access and sustainable and inclusive green growth across the Southern and East Africa region, channelling more than EUR 57 million to 200+ pioneering projects leveraging clean energy technologies and business models to transform lives and livelihoods for the very poor.

 EEP projects have improved energy access for close to a million households, contributed to more than 8,000 new jobs, of which more than 3,000 accrued to women, resulted in more than 1.3 million tonnes of direct CO₂ equivalent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions and leveraged more than €150 million in additional investment.

 The event also saw the release of a new EEP Africa video and featured a panel of past recipients of EEP Africa financing including Marius Hugo, Managing Director at Mean Sea Level, a wave energy developer in South Africa, Dan Klinck, CEO at East Africa Power, a hydro power developer in Rwanda, Prosper Magali, Director for Business Development at Ensol Energy, a minigrid developer in Tanzania and Rehema Nakyazze, CEO at UgaStove, a clean cook stove manufacturer in Uganda.

 The event came one day after the latest EEP Africa Investor Forum which put investor representatives together with EEP Africa project developers for an afternoon of pitches, matchmaking and deal flow identification.

For more information and updates on future EEP Africa CfPs and investor events, please follow this space or get in touch at info@eepafrica.org.

Photo credit: True Story Studio

We warmly welcome you to join the EEP Africa Call for Proposals Launch at the African Utility Week in Cape Town on 15 May. The event takes place at 16:30 in the Workshop area 1. Please see more information here and remember to register for a free exhibition pass to enter the event. At the Launch you will have an opportunity to meet the EEP team, learn more about the application process and hear first-hand experiences from former EEP project developers.

In addition to the official Call for Proposals Launch, the EEP team is hosting an exhibition stand at the African Utility Week during the three days of the expo. Please come visit us at stand J11 to discuss the financing opportunities and details of the Call for Proposals and hear more about EEP. On Wednesday 16 May from 9:00 to 12:00 the EEP team has specifically reserved time to answer questions on the Call for Proposals.

Leveraging public financing to scale up progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) was the theme of a COP23 side event and panel discussion hosted by the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) on Tuesday 14 November in Bonn. Pasi Hellman, NDF’s Managing Director, kicked off the event at the Nordic Pavilion where Nordic finance institutions showcased their work: “We are actively leveraging NDF’s wide array of financing instruments to support delivery of the SDGs and NDCs in our partner countries”.

The conversation was anchored around a presentation of results and vision for the next phase of EEP S&EA as a concrete case study illustrating precisely the role of well targeted donor commitments catalysing private sector engagement on the SDGs and NDCs. The phase III of EEP S&EA will be launched in January 2018 as a multi-donor trust fund under the overall leadership of NDF and fully aligned with the SDGs and NDCs for the countries of the region.

NDF highlighted that EEP has established a strong brand for delivery, impact and effectiveness and committed more than EUR 50 million in direct financing to more than 200 pioneering projects leveraging clean energy technology and innovative energy access business models to transform lives and livelihoods and support the growth of a vibrant green economy in the region. EEP Programme Director Wim Jonker Klunne participated in the events and provided background on the results achieved by EEP. He also highlighted the role of young entrepreneurs within the portfolio and the partnerships formed with other initiatives to advance the sector.

The event was moderated by Charles Wetherill from NDF and brought together representatives from EEP donors MFA Finland and ADA as well as a group of panelists including Sheila Oparaocha from the ENERGIA International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy (ENERGIA), Mahua Acharya from the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Monojeet Pal from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Naeeda Crishna Morgado from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The importance of blended finance arrangements and risk sharing between the public and private sector for scaled-up impact was emphasized by the panelists throughout the event as well as the need for linking youth and women to capital. Wetherill closed the event pointing out the annual USD 2 trillion gap (see OECD report) between actual public financing flows and what developing countries need to achieve the SDGs and commitments from the Paris Climate Agreement. “We quite simply have no choice. To close this gap and achieve these goals, we must blend our financing with other stakeholders.”

Photos: NDF/Joel Sheakoski

The EEP S&EA will be hosting its 6th Knowledge Exchange Forum (KEF) on the 11th of October 2017 at Protea Hotel Kampala, Uganda. You are warmly welcome to join the KEF to hear about the recent developments of renewable energy sector in Uganda and East Africa.

The EEP Knowledge Exchange Forum organised since 2014 has been an active event of discussions, sharing of experiences and a place to network with players in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sector. The feedback from the previous KEFs has enabled us to develop a highly appreciated event specifically tailored for the needs of EEP project developers. Based on its core idea of networking, the KEF offers ample opportunity to learn and build new business relationships.

The day will be built around a combination of interesting presentations and casual networking. Programme’s highlights include private sector perspectives on investing in renewable energy shared by Patrick Bitature, founder and chairman of the Simba Group of Companies. In addition, the KEF will discuss and introduce various support mechanisms for project developers. The status of EEP Phase III will be shared during the KEF. Towards the afternoon the participants are encouraged to share their successes and challenges in round-table discussions.

The day will reach a finale in the awarding of EEP Project of the Year 2017 so please apply for the prestigious nomination here >>. Three shortlisted projects will be invited to pitch their projects during the KEF and the lucky winner will gain an opportunity to participate in the world’s leading startup event Slush Helsinki.

See the KEF agenda here >>

The agenda is preliminary and subject to change. The final programme of the day will be updated on the EEP website.

Register latest on 30 September >> 

Please note, that participation in the event is open for all and free of charge but a registration is compulsory. There is a limited number of seats so make sure to reserve your place soon!

We sincerely hope you will be able to join us in KEF Kampala and look forward to meet you there. Welcome!