As we move ahead, our values and identity remain, our image and communication modernize to reflect new evolutions.
Presenting our two flagship :activities
- IED Consult, engineering and consultancy in power systems, renewables and access to services
- IED Invest, renewable energy systems' development, construction and operations
Innovating with consistency, deploying across countries, building on our people and colours, IED's trademark!
A new milestone was reached in the construction of the small Mbakaou Carrière hydroelectric power plant (1.4 MW, 11.2 GWh/year) in Cameroon, project carried by IED INVEST as project developer, and IPP (Independent Power Producer), in partnership with the IED Group, Cameroon's Ministry of Energy (MINEE), the Rural Electricity Agency, ARSEL (regulation), ENEO (distribution), with financial support from the European Union, the French Fund for the World Environment and the Pre-Financing Fund of the BGFI Bank.
Since April 15, 2021, the two penstocks in PRFV (Polyester Reinforced Glass Fibers) of nominal diameter DN1700 (1.7 meters), connecting the loading basin to the entrance of the spiral tarpaulins of the distributors of Kaplan turbines, are installed.
The structures are located in the Adamaoua, on the Djerem River, at the level of the west arm, downstream of the Mbakaou control dam and will drift at the water intake a flow of 13 m3/s, over a length of 115m, for a gross fall height of 15m, and after turbinage, return to the river. The plant will power 8 localities, including the city of Tibati.
The project goal is also to communicate and promote decentralized mini-hydropower electricity. On April 16, 2021, thanks to the organization and educational guidance of IED INVEST CAMEROUN, no less than a hundred students from the ENSAI and IUT schools of N'Gaoundéré city, were able to visit the site, to understand and see the concrete application of the principles of site development and layout of hydroelectric works.
Continuing the SBEE Network Restructuring and Extension Project (National Operator) in the urban commune of Abomey-Calavi and 81 villages in the Atlantic Department, IED has recently been entrusted with a project management mission for the electrification of the lakeside city of Ganvié, on the north shore of Lake Nokoué, at the mouth of the Sô River in southern Benin (north of Cotonou). Regarding its relatively large size, it is often described in literature as "THE Lakeside African Metropolis". Because of its specificity and its numerous inhabitants, it constitutes a space of challenges, which the Government of Benin wished to meet: transport and waste management, sustainable reconstruction of domestic dwellings, redevelopment of economic and social life spaces. And these living conditions improvements do obviously require access to electricity!
The first part of this new project is consisting for IED to carry out the studies prior to the concrete electrification work:
The so special topography of the lakeside city of Ganvié, the African "Venice", makes the exercise quite complex and demanding, but exciting !
Despite the international travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, IED is adapting and proposes to its clients to continue the training of energy sector professionals thanks to the video-conferencing and remote computer configuration system.
SInce few months, several training sessions on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), as well as on network and off-grid planning software (DAP, NAP, GEOSIM) have been held in Benin, Gabon and Madagascar from IED's office in France in order to allow participants from various entities to improve their skills on these software packages developed by IED. This is illustrated by the photo below, representing a training course given at a distance in the framework of the Geospatial Energy Planning project in Madagascar, financed by the World Bank.
Despite these various constraints related to the current situation, IED teams are still mobile as much as possible and continue to provide training according to conditions.
In September 2016 IED signed a contract with AFD for the implementation of the Green Mini Grid Facility in Kenya in partnership with Practical Action Consulting from UK and I-DEV, an american financial management consultancy group. The program’s budget is 8(or €9.5m) provided by the UK’s Department for International Development. The DFID program, now FCDO (Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office) ended officially on 31 March 2021.
GMG has supported three private companies (Powerhive, PowerGen and RVE Sol) in the development and construction of solar powered mini grids through investment grants based on defined milestones at different stages of the project and through output based grants as per number of connections. Overall the grants added up €5.4million and this combined with the investments made by the companies, has resulted in around 1300 kWp solar power and 10,000 connections divided over 50 sites all in rural areas in Western Kenya. Tariffs are regulated by the Government and range between $ 0.50 – 0.75 and connection fees vary between $10 to 50.
GMG has also supported developers and the overall sector in the promotion of productive use of energy with guidelines for icemaking and milling, access to finance for appliances. Developers have invested in internet services, chicken rearing, welding and carpentry businesses, e-cooking and e-transport. The impact of these activities is still being monitored through GMG.
The program has also worked closely with the Ministry of Energy in Kenya in the development of mini grid regulations, tariff modelling and electronic processing.
The GMG program in Kenya is continuing till 31 December 2021 with support of the EU Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund which has contributed €5.65 million for additional grant and technical support to the developers and the sector.
