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 Major CSP Project in Morocco Expected to Boost Manufacturing
The World Bank in November approved US$297 million in loans to Morocco to help finance the Ouarzazate Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Plant, the first major project of an international effort to scale up CSP in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In June 2011, ESMAP released a study that assesses the manufacturing, value creation and employment opportunities that CSP presents for the region. In line with the findings of the ESMAP assessment that MENA countries could become home to a new industry with great potential in a region with considerable solar resources, the Ouarzazate project encourages local R&D, skill development and training, and is expected to boost local manufacturing and entrepreneurship. More information.
 African Electricity Practitioners Discuss Ground-Level Implementation
Electrification experts from across Africa compared details of ground-level implementation of projects at a meeting in Dakar, Senegal on November 14-16. The second meeting of the Africa Electrification Initiative (AEI) brought together 230 representatives of energy ministries, utilities, rural energy agencies, private companies, universities and research centers. Some of the common challenges identified by participants in Dakar included creating low-cost technical solutions for grid extension, setting workable tariffs for rural electricity, increasing the use of smart meters, and leveraging climate funds and carbon finance to improve access to electricity. The workshop was co-organized by the Rural Electrification Agency of Senegal (ASER), the European Union Energy Initiative Partnership Dialogue Facility (EUEI PDF), and the Africa Energy Unit of the World Bank through support from the Africa Renewable Energy Access Program (AFREA) and ESMAP. More information.
 ESMAP, WBI Offer New Online Course on Efficiency and Renewables
Which policy instruments are most effective to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency in developing countries? How best to identify, design and implement energy efficiency programs for public buildings? How can cities use tools to assess energy savings opportunities? These are just a few of the questions addressed by new courses jointly developed by ESMAP and the World Bank Institute (WBI), targeted at policymakers and practitioners. The courses are now available through the World Bank’s e-Institute, a virtual learning classroom that provides convenient access to cutting-edge knowledge and communities of practice. The new offerings include e-courses on low carbon development planning for policymakers, energy efficiency in public buildings, and the use of energy savings performance contracts. More information.
 Lessons Presented on Managing Climate Risk for the Electricity Sector
As part of its work on energy and climate adaptation, ESMAP helped support and participated in the First International Conference on Energy and Meteorology (ICEM), “Weather and Climate for the Energy Industry," organized by Australia’s CSIRO and held in Queensland’s Gold Coast on November 8-11. Among the findings of the conference are that climate-proofing investments for the energy sector are modest compared to regular capital expenditures on energy systems, but the gains are high in terms of improved reliability and security of supply. At the conference, ESMAP presented “Lessons from Early Adapters” – findings from countries that are managing climate risk in their electricity sectors. More information.
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