Deadline: 30-Apr-2022
Applications are now open for the Digital Energy Challenge for Utilities.
The Digital Energy Challenge for Utilities awards every year 2 to 3 public utilities in partnership with an innovative technology/service provider, working on innovative digital projects that aim to increase energy access and improve grid services in Africa.
Themes
The three themes for the 2022 call for projects are:
- Services GridUniversal electricity access through mini-grids. Digital innovations in the field of mini-grids to maximize their efficiency and impact:energy management systems for the optimal use of clean and renewable energy,storage systems and algorithms minimizing the use of fossil fuel generators, tools to facilitate interconnections with the main grid and with other mini-grids, systems and algorithms for building-up nanogrids, geospatial data analytics for power demand evaluation and/or credit risk assessment.
- Innovative Clean Energy SMEs Efficient grid management. All ancillary services ensuring a proper operation of the power grid, with a focus on: information availability and communication systems, streamlining Business-As-Usual grid operational management practices.
- Innovative Digital Solution Sustainable and cost-effective power systems. Digital-based solutions enabling the development of a greener, more flexible and cost-effective power infrastructure (both generation units and grid): additional renewables capacity, grid stability and flexibility, reduction of losses, increased power availability and service quality.
Benefits
For every annual Call for Projects, 2 to 3 winning utility partnerships will each benefit from:
- Financial support of up to €500K including: a grant to contribute to costs for equipment, software, products or services supplied by the innovative technology or service provider and training; technical assistance for project management support or strategic and technical expertise.
- A joint boot camp run by cross-sectorial experts, to support project implementation, provide sectorial insights, foster synergies between project winners and encourage best-practice sharing.
- Widespread communication campaigns piloted by AFD during the selection phase, award ceremony, bootcamp and for a period of time after these events.
Eligible Countries
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo Democratic Republic, Congo Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Eligibility Criteria
- The 2022 Challenge for Utilities is open to projects owned by African public power utilities (including public Independent System Operators, power pools, regional organisations, energy regulators and rural electrification authorities) in a partnership with an innovative technology/service provider.
- The project owner must be an African public power utility or organisation. This definition includes public ISO (Independent System Operators), power pools, regional organisations, energy regulators and rural electrification authorities.
- The project owner must be in a partnership with a technology/service provider which must meet the following criteria:
- Less than 15 years existence or have already developed an innovative solution to be tested with the Challenge
- National or international registered company
- More than 5 employees
- Annual turnover of less than €50M
- Have already entered into business relations with an African utility, resulting in the signature – either effective or imminent – of a memorandum of understanding.
For more information, visit https://www.afd.fr/en/digital-energy-challenge-utilities-annual-call-projects