Experts approve tools to promote renewable energy, efficiency
THE Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) says regional energy experts have approved a set of tools to promote renewable energy and efficiency within the region.
Among the set of tools is the grid capacity guideline report for integrating renewable energy, monitoring tool for the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan (REEESAP) for the Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean (EASA-IO) region.
In a statement, Comesa said the other tools are the inter-pool and inter-Regional Economic Community (REC) Memorandum of Understanding and market surveillance and compliance framework for East Africa Power Pool (EAPP) and Southern Africa Power Pool, (SAPP).
Delegates at the workshop that was conducted early this month in Lusaka, Zambia also
agreed on the provision of technical support to Democratic Republic of Congo, Comoros,
Djibouti and South Sudan.
The technical support to the four countries regards the establishment of national energy regulators.
“This includes aligning the member States’ national legislation/regulation with adopted harmonised regional regulatory framework.
“Nine guidelines on renewable energy and energy efficiency and a monitoring tool to assess progress made by member States towards achieving renewable energy and energy efficiency targets have since been developed.
“These are expected to take the region to the next level of green and clean economy and an enhanced sustainable energy security and accessibility,” said Comesa.
The workshop brought together five RECs, which are Comesa, the East African Community, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, Indian Ocean Commission and Sadc.
Others were the Regional Association of Energy Regulators, Regional Power Pools and Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Centres.
The Comesa Regional Association of Energy Regulators for Eastern and Southern Africa (RAERESA) is coordinating the implementation of the programme.
The programme has three results areas namely; a regionally harmonised energy regulatory and policy framework that integrates gender perspectives; enhancement of regulatory capacity of the National Regulatory Authorities and Power Pools to proactively influence developments in the energy sector and, enhancement of renewable energy and energy efficiency to attract investments in clean energy and build capacity in clean energy in the region as well as the domestication on a demand driven basis.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Comesa assistant secretary general in charge of programmes Ambassador Kipyego Cheluget noted that with the ongoing developments, the EA-SA-IO region will enhance electricity trading at regional level.
“Investment in energy infrastructure should be supported by policy initiatives that promote generation, maintenance and efficient utilisation of energy infrastructure capacity,” he said.
“The current regional economic growth trends require a corresponding growth in energy infrastructure and efficient utilisation to cater for both current and future demand,” he said.
To address the prevailing challenges, Amb Cheluget said an aligned regulatory framework was necessary to stimulate investments in power production and transmission. — The Chronicle
