6/12/2016 Launch workshop of the "Study for the setting up of a conducive environment to off-grid electrification in Benin".

IED and Practical Action Consulting started in November 2016 the Study for the setting up of a conducive environment to off-grid electrification in Benin, an integral part of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, implemented by the Millennium Challenge Account-Benin II (MCA-Benin II) on behalf of the Government of Benin.

This study is one of two components of the project "Access to off-grid electricity", the second component being the implementation of an Off-Grid Electrification Facility amounting US $ 40 million, aiming at mobilizing the private sector. This is the most important funding ever granted by the US Government for Off-Grid Electrification outside its territory.

At the end of this study, Benin will have an Off-Grid Electrification Implementation Policy and Strategy, as well as an associated Master Plan and Regulatory Framework. An important capacity building component for the institutions concerned (DGE, ARE, ANADER and ABERME) is also planned.

The launch workshop was held in Cotonou on 6 December 2016 in the presence of the MCC's Resident Director and the Minister of Energy, Water and Mines who officially opened the workshop.

Presentation of the study in the ORTB evening news of the 06 December 2016 (play at 6 min 34 s): http://www.ortb.bj/index.php/info/journal-tv/5078-journal-televise-20h-du-06-decembre-2016.

April 2016. IED, already publisher of specialized software GEOSIM GISELEC for the rural electrification sector, bought DAP, GAP, NAP and REBAN solutions to the former Belgian company SYSTEMS EUROPE to complement its software offer covering issues related to the planning of HV networks and energy generation and reducing losses on distribution networks.

In the framework of the Decentralized Rural Electrification Project in the provinces of Ziro and Gourma in Burkina Faso, which aims to increase the access to electrical service through the valuation of local potential in renewable energies, IED conducted a training on the software: GISELEC©. This IT tool, developed by IED, allows for the electrical and mechanical design of medium and low voltage distribution grids.

Two training session were held on November 2-6 and on December 2-10, 2015 at EDIS’ premises, IED‘s Burkinabe subsidiary (www.edis-energie.com). This training was intended for the staff of the Fonds de Développement de l’Electrification (FDE), the rural electrification fund, and of the SONABEL, the national utility, as well as for the staff in charge of the studies at EDIS. The purpose of this training will allow to develop and to launch the tender for the construction f the electrical network in the regions concerned by the project.

IED and its Liberian partner CSET launched on September 29^th in Monrovia a prefeasibility study, funded by the World Bank Bank through the Program for Scaling-Up Renewable Energy in Low Income Countries (SREP) to identify the best options to supply power through minigrids to the 13,000 households of four localities in Lofa County : Voinjama, Foya, Kolahun, Zorzor and smaller towns and villages in the backcountry.

Located on the North-West part of Liberia, Lofa County is a remote area without any grid supply today, but where several rivers are good candidates for hydropower installations. Despite this good hydropower potential, seasonality of the river flow calls for additional energy sources in order to provide energy all year round.

The study will comprise of a demand assessment, the determination of an optimal generation mix based on a technical, economic and financial analysis, as well as the basic design and costing of the local minigrid supply. The primary beneficiary of the study is Liberia’s Rural and Renewable Energy Agency (RREA).

The kick-off meeting has been followed by field work consisting of a survey to precisely assess local energy needs.