Region: Highlands & East Central

1. Region: Highlands & East Central Group 1

2. Case Definition: Energy related • Large scale deforestation mainly caused by charcoal production • Dams and rivers used to generate electricity – mainly for urban areas, rural areas have little access to hydro electricity • Impressive biodiversity in the highlands = eco-tourism • Biomass energy from wood and agriculture residues mainly for isolated rural homesteads • Full access to the ocean but this untapped as an energy source • Small scale use of solar energy – mainly PV connections to power small rural industries, clinics and schools

3. How we tacked the problem • Defined the sectors (e.g. urban vs. rural; small rural industries vs. large urban industries, what do we mean by energy value chain, etc) • Explored energy needs by sectors in order to isolate all/most activities requiring energy • Develop a criteria that enabled to select most important technologies for immediate attention: • areas of highest impact • Cross cutting themes (i.e. transport, ICT) • Poverty reduction (aimed at rural development) • Positive impacts on the environment • We selected: transportation, food production, household energy, industrial development & ICT as NB areas for intervention • Discussion on fuels/energy options and technologies

4. Technical issues • Lack of petroleum products – largely imported • Poor infrastructure (rails, road harbours, etc) • Lack of fuel efficient technologies by transport sector • Huge potential for biofueltechnologies use by the sector but this is poorly developed • Primitive processing/harvesting technologies by rural communities • Poor mechanisation in the agric and industrial sectors • Poor irrigation technologies, despite abundance of water resources • Inefficient technologies for lighting (bulbs) & cooking (stoves) • Potential for biogas for household use but largely unused • Limited use of solar PV – because of high price • Limited access to electricity for rural households • A potential for SWH and solar cookers (for thermal applications) but not used

5. Regulatory issues • Lack of good governance – policy making, regulatory regime, and consequently finance and investment • Integration of various energy sources/options • Regulation to enforce the local manufacturing and production of energy technology components

6. Institutional issues • Poor access to the markets to stimulate economic growth • Relevant research and development – technical capacity • Lack of business and management training by mainly rural population • Poor regional integration • No coordinated and effective capacity programme for the users of energy (on efficiency, energy/technologies options, finance, business models, etc)

7. Capacity requirements for implementing a programme (1) • Technical capacity building of local, national & regional institutions • How to generate up-to-date energy data to improve decision making and technology section • Information of various sources of energy supply & near-market technologies • Engineering skills for local production of energy technologies (universities curricula) • Skills to assess the costs and benefits of the chosen technology types

8. Capacity requirements for implementing a programme (2) • Policy development & implementation capacity building of local, national & regional institutions • Review of current policies, strategies, regulations and adapt to changed environment • Collect and keep up-to-date energy balance • Harmonisation of policies and strategies across ministries, across regions • How to prioritise intervention & integrate to the regional priorities • Role of institutes of higher learning in relevant policy research & knowledge transfer

9. Capacity requirements for implementing a programme (3) • Business development & management capacity building • Cost and benefits of various business models, technologies, markets, etc • Marketing strategies • Taxation regimes • Access to various types of finance options (development, venture capitals, loans, etc) • Commercialisation of R&D • Capital markets information • Information on Intellectual Property Rights on various technologies

10. Experience in obtaining information • Technical capacity building • Use of internet to see available technologies • Literature • Universities and R&D organisations • Exchange programmes and project for technology development and transfer • Policy capacity building • Relevant policy institutions • Workshops, conference, symposiums • Media (TV, radio, newspapers) • Specialists, professionals, experts • Business development capacity building • All the above