African Mini-Grids Virtual Workshop Series announcement!

Virtual Workshop Series: Strengthening the case for Mini-grids in Africa: Connecting the dots across rural electrification, climate resilience and sustainable development 

The LEDS GP is pleased to invite you to join the first two Africa LEDS Partnership virtual Workshop Series on ”Strengthening the case for Mini-grids in Africa: Connecting the dots across rural electrification, climate resilience and sustainable development”.

Starting 16 April 2020, the AMG-CoP will convene a virtual 4-session workshop for its members and the broader community of energy access practitioners. This unique event will bring together (in the virtual space) African government leaders, climate finance experts, financial institutions and investors, as well as mini-grid developers and operators. The virtual workshop will assess the role of mini-grids in the current NDCs of Sub-Saharan African governments, discuss how a stronger focus on mini-grid-based rural electrification can increase climate ambition while delivering multiple sustainable development co-benefits, and identify the role of governments and international climate finance in this regard.

This workshop will explore questions such as:

  • How can the sustainable development objectives of electrification, economic development and climate change mitigation and resilience be more effectively integrated?
  • How can energy access in Africa be advanced through climate finance?
  • How can public-private partnerships deliver enhanced electrification and other key community benefits, while also contributing to a stronger bottom line (economic performance) and more attractive investment environment for the private sector? 

The workshop will be co-convened by the Africa LEDS Partnership (AfLP) as well as the Finance Working Group and the Energy Working Group of the Low Emissions Development Strategies Global Partnership (LEDS GP) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

This is part of a a four session virtual workshop series to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing on African mini-grids .

The first two sessions , will be held on Thursday, April 16th:

Session 1. Introduction to the workshop and 2020 work programme (60 mins)15:30 – 16:30 SAST/ 16:30 – 17:30 EAST

This is a private session for AMG-CoP members to catch up, introduce their general work programme (WP) for the year, discuss the current situation, concept for the workshop, its shift to the virtual space and the planned programme.

The AfLP will also use this opportunity to discuss and consult with members on the current Covid-19 pandemic, its impact on the AfLP work programme for 2020, as well as the emerging regional and country needs.This is a private session for AMG-COP members only 

Session 2: Making energy access through mini-grids affordable: The role of governments and international climate finance (60 mins)

16:40 – 17:30 SAST/ 17:40 – 18:30 EAST
This session will explore the current mini-grid climate finance landscape in Africa and how tapping into available climate finance can strengthen both rural electrification and climate action.

We will look at the  financing landscape assessment that has been developed by the Finance Working Group, and hear from selected AMG-CoP members, as well as a Climate Fund representative.

This is a  Public session; to attend, please register for this webinar HERE
Those sessions will be followed by two additional sessions on at the end of the month and in May.

The third session will be held on April, 30th.

Session 3: Exploring the rural electrification – climate resilience – sustainable development nexus (90 mins)

17:00 SAST/ 16:30 – 18:00 EAST
This session will assess the role of mini-grids in the current NDCs of Sub-Saharan African governments and discuss how a stronger focus on mini-grid-based rural electrification can increase climate ambition while delivering multiple sustainable development co-benefits. The session will also delve into the co-benefits of mini-grid-based rural electrification, hear from NREL about the landscape assessment of mini-grids in NDCs, in addition to perspectives from the ground on the  integration of electrification, sustainable development and climate action at project level.
This is the last public session – to attend, please register for this webinar HERE

The final session will be held on the 7th of May, this will be a private AMG-COP members only session, on :

Session 4: Tools and approaches for integrated governance – lessons from the AMG-CoP (90 mins) 

15:30 – 17:00 SAST/ 16:30 – 18:00 EAST
This session will allow  AMG-CoP members to discuss their key take-aways from the virtual workshop and share experiences from their countries on how integrated rural electrification-climate-sustainable development planning can be put into practice. The session will conclude with a joint discussion on the next milestones for the CoP and a member survey of key topics of interest for their respective countries and regions( private session for AMG-COP members only).

The sessions will be facilitated by  Josh Ogada (SouthSouthNorth ) and speakers will include:
Ieva Indriunaite (SD Strategies)
Alexia Kelly (Electric Capital)
Alexander Ochs (SD Strategies)
Tim Reber (NREL)
Additional Speakers and contributors TBC

AMG-CoP members: You will receive a separate invite for the closed Sessions. However please do register for the open sessions using the link provided