2 October 2014: The Africa-EU Renewable Energy Cooperation Programme (RECP) has developed the Mini Grid Policy Toolkit, which will provide guidance to decision makers and senior technical staff in developing countries on designing an appropriate policy and regulatory framework for promoting investment in mini-grids and for rural electrification through renewable energy or hybrid mini-grids.

The Toolkit’s implementation partners are: the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE); the EU Energy Initiative Partnership Dialogue Facility (EUEI PDF); and the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21). The Toolkit aims to raise awareness on the potential and applicability of mini-grids, dispel misperceptions regarding their feasibility, and provide advice on how to improve relevant existing policy and regulatory frameworks. The Toolkit is part of a broader project to expand and improve rural electrification, which also includes dissemination of the Toolkit through workshops and online webinars, with active involvement of local stakeholders.

The Toolkit was presented at the EuropeAid workshop, titled ‘Empowering Rural Electrification – The EU Framework for Access to Sustainable Energy Workshop,’ which took place in September 2014, and aimed to contribute to a better understanding of the financial requirements and risk assessments of mini-grids. In addition to discussing the Toolkit, workshop participants addressed potential new financial opportunities to support rural electrification. The workshop’s objectives were to: further mobilize the private sector and civil society in order to increase and improve access to sustainable energy services for poor populations, particularly in rural areas; encourage more actions regarding decentralized energy solutions within existing financing windows; and attract additional financing.

Mini-grids, which are not connected to the main national grid and are easy and affordable to deploy, can increase access to electricity, and have the potential to meet climate objectives through the use of hybrid power systems using renewable energy as a primary source and diesel as a backup source. [Publication: Mini Grid Policy Toolkit] [Toolkit Website] [ARE Newsletter]