Ghana - Ghana Electricity Sector Support Project

Since 2007, SECO, together with other international donors, has been financing the Ghana Energy Developing and Access Program (GEDAP) which is hosted by the Ghana Ministry of Energy and Petroleum (MoEP) and aims at improving the efficiency of power distribution in Ghana and at increasing access to electricity by the population. The third phase of the programme (GEDAP III) has started in September 2014. Its focus is to increase electricity access through 1) financing electricity distribution infrastructure, 2) renewable energy development and energy efficiency, and 3) institutional strengthening. To support project implementation, SECO has contracted a "backstopper" who will carry out the tasks specified below.

intec's services

Inception Study

• Preparation of an inception study recommending main measures to be implemented during the project

Technical Support

• Review of strategic documents on the energy sector
• Preparation of feasibility studies of proposed technical and institutional strengthening measures (wind, solar, hydropower, biomass)
• Expert opinion on technical options, review of and comments on project reports and technical documents
• Punctual technical support and comprehensive input to SECO's Project Completion Note

Procurement

• Support to project procurement measures, incl. review of tender documents and procedures
• Expert opinion on submitted bids

Monitoring

• Assistance to the GEDAP Secretariat and SECO in monitoring the implementation of the project
• Annual controlling missions to monitor project results against the logframe targets and objectives

Client

Financing

Period of implementation

Regional - Green Climate Fund Readiness Support Program

Countries: Bangladesh, Caribbean Region, Morocco, Namibia, Peru, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia

Under this program, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) allocated financial resources for investment projects to support selected partner countries to develop and implement their respective strategies for climate resilience and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The program included the following activities:

• Support programs for 3 selected national and regional development banks with a view to their accreditation for direct access to the GCF,
• Development of 10 national investment plans for projects suitable for GCF financing,
• Establishment of national, prioritised project pipelines of existing, updated or new GCF-ready projects, including 30 prefeasibility studies for suitable projects, or update of existing studies for suitable projects.

Projects referred to the following sectors: Forestry and agriculture, renewable energies (wind, biomass, PV), energy efficiency, transport, water and sanitation, and municipal solid waste management
 

intec's services

Overall coordination of the programme

In addition, intec delivered services in the field of renewable energies (wind, biomass, PV) as follows:

Preparation of national investment plans:

• Country and sector-specific analyses of national potentials and priorities for mitigation, adaptation and development
• Identification of emission-intensive or adaptation-relevant priority sectors and sector-specific intervention areas
• Risk assessment (institutional, technological, environmental, social, fiduciary, financial)

Preparation of national project pipelines:

• Screening of investment proposals
• Implementation of pre-feasibility studies or update of existing studies
• Technical and financial evaluation of eligible investment proposals
• Economic review of proposals (simplified cost-benefit analyses, quantification of environmental benefits in terms of GHG emission reduction, etc.), ranking of investment proposals.

Client

Financing

Period of implementation

Nigeria - Promoting Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Investments in Nigeria through Financial Institutions (Particularly Solar PV)

The project was part of IFC's program in Nigeria for solar market development and finance. One of its major components was to provide technical support (and possibly financial instruments) to local financial institutions and help them develop a business line catering to the emerging solar market in Nigeria.

As part of the start-up activities of this program, IFC commissioned this study to assess the market conditions and demand of energy efficiency (EE) and small renewable energy (RE) financing in general and off-grid solar technology financing in particular, among Nigerian corporates and SMEs.

intec's services

• Preparation of an overview market report on EE / small RE and solar PV market conditions in Nigeria
• Survey of corporates / SMEs to assess companies' EE practices and appetite for EE / small RE / solar PV in-vestments, their interest in external financing, and any real or perceived risks from their perspectives
• Supply chain survey to assess the technical and financial capacities of the EE / RE / solar equipment (100 kW to 5 MW) supply chain participants in the country
• Interviews and consultations with local financial institutions to understand their perspective and position to-wards financing EE / RE / solar projects and Nigerian corporates and SMEs, and the local financing institutions' needs for support from international financing institutions.
• Participation in final dissemination workshops in Lagos and Abuja.

Client

Financing

Period of implementation

Regional - EU Programmes on Energy Efficiency

Countries: Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia

The project aimed at supporting financial intermediaries (FIs) and final beneficiaries (FBs) during the implementation and operation of EU Programmes on energy efficiency ("Facilities"). These facilities combine grants provided by the EU with EIB credit lines which aim at promoting the implementation of energy efficiency projects (sub-projects) in the EU and EU candidate countries. EU and EIB established a new facility called "Green Initiative" which covered Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

The Consultant's role was to assist the EIB and to support FIs and FBs in the implementation and operation of the Green Initiative and other similar facilities to be managed by the EIB. Services to be provided by the Consultant were two-fold: general assignments, i.e. assistance to the FIs and FBs, but also services directly related to specific energy efficiency subprojects.

• General assignments include sub-project pipeline screening, marketing activities, training to FIs and general support to FIs.
• Specific sub-project-related services include preparation of sub-project applications for financing, sub-project verifications, energy audits, and energy performance certificates.

intec's services

• Lead on engineering activities for all sub-projects in Poland, and contribution to this work in other countries,
• Sub-project preparation and development of procedures and forms to ensure their eligibility, i.e. energy assessments, energy audits,
• Support to marketing and awareness raising for investments in sustainable energy projects in Poland,
• Training and capacity building to project financing institutes, local engineers and SMEs,
• Support to sub-project origination processes and preliminary screening,
• Establishment of pre-approved small-scale sub-projects for Poland,
• Local project management and administration for Poland.
   

Client

Financing

Period of implementation

Poland - Polish SME Sustainable Energy Financing Facility ("PolSEFF")

Background: The EBRD places special emphasis on supporting investments that improve energy efficiency or promote renewable energy and has highlighted Poland's potential for sustainable energy investment as a priority in the Bank's country strategy for Poland. Energy prices in Poland are increasing, and significant amounts of energy are wasted through out-dated and inefficient equipment and a lack of monitoring and control devices. Through SEFFs (Sustainable Energy Financing Facilities), the EBRD can reach smaller projects to which it cannot lend directly. Each credit line is supported by a substantial and complex technical assistance package that builds capacity in the local market and helps investors and local PFIs (participating financial intermediaries) overcome some of the barriers that hinder the implementation of these investments

Objectives of the Project: PolSEFF is expected to create a self-sustaining market for investment in sustainable energy projects in the Polish SME sector. This will be achieved by ensuring that PFIs become familiar with appraising and financing eligible energy efficiency and small renewable energy investment projects, SMEs become aware of the competitive advantages of such investments, local experts have the technical expertise to assist SMEs in identifying and preparing technically feasible, bankable projects.

Project Tasks:

• Component 1: Marketing and awareness raising for investments in sustainable energy projects
• Component 2: Training and capacity building to project financing institutes, local engineers and SMEs
• Component 3: Establishment of pre-approved small-scale projects
• Component 4: Support to the project origination processes and preliminary screening
• Component 5: Project preparation (eligibility check, support to subprojects)
• Component 6: Project management and administration

intec's services

Provision of technical expertise to

• identify and cluster suitable technologies,
• assess the technical feasibility of projects handed in,
• train and assist bank staff for technical risk/benefit analysis and feasibility.

Client

Financing

Period of implementation