Work Order 3
Technical Assistance in mobilising climate change funds for project proposals in the technical areas of renewable energy and clean technology
Context and Justification
The African Biofuel and Renewable Energy Company (ABREC) was created in 2007 with Carbon Finance Assistance provided by the World Bank andother Financial Institutions, several African States and other donors. ABREC’s mission is to promote the use of renewable energy and clean technology in 10 African countries.Though registered as a private company and as such intended to operate as a financially viable enterprise, profit-making is not ABREC’s main goal. In fact, in a context of limited access by African countries to existing climate funds, ABREC has been created to support its member countries in the development of projects in the areasof renewable energy and clean technology and in mobilising the required funds for their implementation. The company also supports countries in the development of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) and other climate change policies. Interventions of this nature have in the past years been supported and financed by ABREC in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Togo. Support is mainly delivered through ABREC’s Technical Assistance Facility, consisting of ten (10) professional staff members.
In this sense, ABREC intends to position itself as a relay platform and to facilitate interactions between existing climate funds and its interested member states. In parallel, ABREC is a fairly young enterprise and aware that its in-house experience and knowledge are still limited. Therefore, ABREC seeks to enhance and extend the skills of its professional team and believes that close collaboration witha short-term specialist provided through the Climate Support Facility will be a good way of achieving this. The CSF-TA will support ABREC’s staff in a specific task that was identified during the formulation of the present Work Order as a priority. The task at hand will be carried out in such a way that it turns into a learning experience for ABREC staff and for other stakeholders.
On the task that was identified as a priority, ABREC has been facilitating the development and formulation of various project proposals in a number of countries. For 12 of these proposals (see Annex 1), ABREC now feels the need to have them externally reviewed and to get specialist advice on how to proceed in order to have them financed and implemented.
Links with MDGs and GCCA priorities:
- Improved access to energy contributes to several MDGs, particularly to reduce poverty (MDG1), to increase education opportunities and modalities (MDG2), to improve services for child and maternal health (MDG4 and 5). The focus on renewable energy and efficient use of energy are coherent with the principles of environmental sustainability (MDG7).
- Most proposals to be reviewed are designed to fit in the CDM or REDD+ frameworks
- 10 of the 12 project proposals to be reviewed are situated in LDCs
Description of the Assignment
Objectives:
General objective: To promote the use of renewable energy and technology in Africa.
Specific objectives:
- To strengthen the skills of ABREC’s Technical Assistance Facility.
- To facilitate access to existing climate change funding.
Specific tasks:
1Review the 12 project proposals submitted by African States to ABREC (see Annex 1 for more details). Financial and economic analysis (e.g. carbon credits potential for CDM projects) will be part of the reviews.
2For the project proposals considered feasible and eligible for funding, develop a detailed roadmap for getting access to funding.
3Discuss and explain the findings of activities 1 and 2 to ABREC’s staff.
4Participate in meetings where ABREC’s staff will explain the roadmaps to the concerned project proponents/beneficiaries (only for the projects in Togo).
5Organise aworkshop with ABREC staff (1) to evaluate the quality of the meetings (activity 4) and their performance, (2) to jointly develop a follow-up action plan for each of the proposals; and (3) to prepare for similar meetings (activity 4) for the projects outside Togo.
6For the project proposals not considered feasible and eligible for funding, discuss the proposal with ABREC staff and, in case some potential exist, advise on how the proposal can be improved. Also here, the CSF consultant will assist ABREC staff in preparing them to meet the proponents of the concerned proposals and to explain them why the proposal is not considered feasible and/or eligible.
7Capacity building for ABREC staffwill be on a learning-by-doing basis and fully integrated in the activities (3 to 6) outlined above. In addition, the consultant will provide a brief and more theoretical training on key features of the REDD+ and CDM schemes: opportunities, eligibility criteria and requirements, procedures, etc.; always focusing on the areas of renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Outputs to be delivered:
-Written assessment for each of the reviewed proposals (activity 1)
-Detailed roadmaps for eligible project proposals (activity 2)
-Assessment notes of the meetings (activity 4)
-Follow-up action plans (activity 5)
-Recommendations and guidelines for proposal improvement (activity 6)
-Handouts/background materials for the training on CDM and REDD+ (activity 7).
-Mission report.
Organisational issues
Place:Home-based and Togo
Duration &Indicative Planning
The assignment should start as soon as possible after approval of the Work Order and in consultation with the Director General of ABREC.His contact details are provided below. The overall implementation period of the mission (from starting date to debriefing) should not exceed 3 calendar months.
Home-based preparatory phase: (24 working days; 2 days per proposal)
The 12 project proposals will be sent electronically to the consultant for preliminary review, assessment and preparation of the roadmaps.If applicable, key issues will be clarified by telephone communications and/or e-mail exchanges.
Also the training session (activity 7) will be prepared during this preparatory phase.
Togo: (10 working days)
The activities 3 to 7 will be carried out in Togo. The detailed planning and organisation of the several meetings in Togo will be done by ABREC, in consultation with the consultant.
Report writing (home-based) and debriefing (Brussels): (4 working days)
The report will provide information on the different tasks carried out, on the achievements and on further steps to be taken. The outputs to be delivered will be attached to the report. Debriefing will take place after submission of the mission report and in consultation with the ACP Secretariat. If the CSF expert is not based in Brussels, debriefing will be done by telephone or skype.
Travel days: (2 working days)
Inputs required
- To be provided by the Climate Support Facility
CSF expert (key expert3 – CC economics):40 working days; one return ticket to Togo (Lomé); per diems (10x)
Consultant’s profile:
Master’s degree in engineering, natural resource management or Climate Change-related area in Science, Economics, Carbon Financing, or Sustainable Development;
Experience and Requirements:
- At least 7 years of relevant professional experience preferablyfor projects in developing countries;
- Excellent knowledge of the Kyoto Protocol’s flexible mechanisms (CDM) including experience with and knowledge of afforestation/reforestation sequestration projects and REDD+;
- Sound knowledge of active funds in climate change sector especially for CDM and REDD+ projects including related accessibility conditions and principles;
- Experience in CDM and REDD+ projects design and financing in developing country conditions (essential);
- Solid understanding of the issues involved in REDD+ and ability to explain risks and opportunities involved in REDD+ to investors;
- Understanding of issues concerning carbon markets, the pros and cons of engaging in carbon operations;
- Knowledge of good practices in resources mobilisation for climate change sector (i.e CDM, REDD+).
Budget to support the organisation of training sessions and workshops: 1450 EUR (3 days / 5 participants)
- To be provided by the beneficiary (ABREC)
Local travel (outside Lomé), facilities and logistics for work sessions with ABREC staff, relevant contacts in Togo, relevant information. During the working phase in Togo, ABREC staff (5 staff members) must be available to work with the consultant.
Coordination and Supervision
Mr. Thierno Bocar TALL,
Director General of ABREC
Email:
Tel: +228 22 21 68 64
Annex I: List of project proposals to be reviewed and assessed
N° / TITLE / COUNTRY / Observations1 / Distribution of 1,000,000 CFL in household in Togo / Togo / Feasibility study available, PIN and PDD ongoing
2 / Distribution of 800,000 cook stoves in household in Togo / Togo / Prefeasibilitystudyavailable
3 / Delta windfarm 25,2 MW / Togo / The PIN, the feasibility study and Environment impact Assessment are completed; PPA will be finalized on February 2012; concessional agreement is ok
4 / Solar power station with 2x5 MW installed capacity / Togo/Benin / Feasibility study should be undertaken in March 2012
5 / Solar streets light project (10,000 lights) / Togo / Feasibility study should be undertaken in March 2012
6 / Production of Biomass fuel briquettes used as efficient substitutes of Fire Wood & Charcoal / Côte d'Ivoire / Feasibility study finalized.
7 / Cogeneration by waste from mango and tomato processing industry and agricultural waste (4.76 MW to 10.76 MW) / Burkina Faso / Feasibility study and the PIN are completed
8 / Production of biocombustible by planting MiscanthusGiganteus / Senegal / Business Plan is completed (grant)
9 / Industrial Production of charcoal / Congo / Business Plan is and PIN completed
10 / EnergyForestry / Ghana / Reforestation /Biomass based power generation developed under REDD+ and CDM
11 / EnergyForestry / Togo
12 / EnergyForestry / Cote d’Ivoire