1. Renewable energy – potentials for
collaborations
Graham Ault
NIDOS Business Sharing Value?
Scottish business and international development
20th September 2011
www.nidos.org.uk

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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