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EEP Africa hosted a Question and Answers session on the 14th Call for Proposals (CfP14) for over 30 people at the EEP regional hub office in Nairobi on Tuesday 12 June. The event was kicked off with the EEP CfP14 video and followed by an interactive questions and answers on the EEP Africa Innovation window. A lot of interesting questions were made by interested project developers and hopefully all questions were answered. You can check the FAQs of the call on the website for more information or reach out to the EEP team through cfp@eepafrica.org. 

In Lusaka, EEP joined the two-day Zambia Off-Grid Investor Forum organized by Alliance for Rural Electrification and GOGLA, and supported by RECP. On Wednesday 12 June, EEP Head of Portfolio and Finance participated in a panel discussing financing for off-grid solutions and was able to share information about the open CfP14 to the conference audience consisting of local and regional project developers as well as investors and other sector players. EEP also shared experiences on off-grid projects in the region focusing on the importance of developing successful business models and on the current critical barriers of the sector.

The project developers participating in the forum were highly interested in the open CfP14. During the two days EEP held one-on-one discussions with countless project developers and answered questions on eligibility and application procedures. Many projects had already started their application process and wanted to ask details on the process going forward.

EEP wants to thank all project developers for their interest in both events. We are looking forward to receiving high quality applications from Kenya and Zambia. A big thank you to the organisers of Zambia Off-Gird Investor Forum who created a successful event that provided relevant information about the Zambian off-grid market that is developing rapidly at the moment.

The interest for CfP14 has been significant and the EEP team is doing its best to answer all questions.  We encourage all interested project developers to visit CfP14 page to learn more about the call for proposals and application procedures. Please read the application guidelines and other relevant documents carefully before you apply to make sure you qualify.Interested applicants have until June 28 at 13h Helsinki time to submit proposals.

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