INSABA - Integrated Southern Africa Business Advisory (2005 - 2007)

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Based on the capacity development interventions undertaken by InWEnt and their European and local partner organizations in Southern Africa, the project aims at further integration of renewable energy technology (RET) suppliers in the region by extending a high profile advisory network. The target is to build on the capacity of the partners in a selected range of RET fields (i.e. bio-energy, hybrid systems, wind, solar), organize business advisory interventions on a country, and regional level and assist in the conduct of subject workshops for participants from small and mediums size enterprises (SME), governmental organisations (GO) and nongovernmental organisations (NGO) and associations being active in the renewable energy (RE) arena. This will be complemented by identification, presentation and verification of productive and income generating applications of RETs from interdisciplinary expert groups in order to enhance the opportunities of sustainability. Needs assessment, demand and impact analysis and continuous policy dialogue with all stakeholders are framing elements to support the process of strengthening productive and sustainable RE application in Southern Africa.
CENTRIC AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL was main responsible of a methodology workshop, held in Namibia in 2006.
Objectives
The overall objective is to strengthen productive RE application in Southern Africa, which will help to build a critical mass of human capital with up to date knowledge and expertise in energy planning and project financing, as well as in the latest technologies and best practices available for increasing the productive use of renewable energies. This project focuses on the level of SME as well as GO and NGOs involved in renewable energy applications tackles the poverty agenda providing advisory services for businesses using RET in water conveyance and treatment, communications, food processing, concentration, commercial heat et alter. Practitioners will be trained to access rural and urban employment opportunities and productive/income generating models of RET application will be supported. The project enhances EU/SADC business co-operation among SME and supports the co-operation of NGOs and associations and last not least liaise with government offices and other stakeholders on policy advise towards more conducive RE utilization.
Description of the work
The project is being implemented with eight work packages ranging from assessment and planning (1), demand and impact analysis (2), policy dialogue (3) to business advisory activity targeting institutions (4) and SME (5), market assessment by integrated expert teams (6) as well as match-making and networking (7) and dissemination activities (8). The aim is to achieve that partner organisations are enabled to advise SME providing RE systems and services as well as SME who produce goods and services at marketable prices and are using energy from locally available renewable energy sources. The project is being implemented with a variety of means and methods, from local studies and analysis and dialogues to training and coaching at the intermediary and company level with a continuous feedback and review cycle.
Expected Results
The project results in products and activities such as four needs assessment reports, four renewable energy application agendas, eight market assessment studies, several policy dialogue meetings, three project meetings, one project flyer and brochure, project website, two business advisory interventions per country per year, five business manuals for a number of modules, inception, interim and final reports. Furthermore, the project aims to build and strengthen capacity through training and coaching in the SADC region on planning, economical, and technical know-how for productive use of RET. Hence one of the essential preconditions for applying and integrating renewables in rural energy supply systems has been established and cooperation among governmental agencies, private sector, financing agencies, NGOs and international donor agencies will be strengthened.