UNLOCKING SOLAR CAPITAL AFRICA - DAY 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() 09:00 - Registration and welcome coffee |
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SESSION 5A | ON-GRID09:30 - Improving LCOE — A Technology Perspective
09:50 - Panel Discussion
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SESSION 5B | MINI-GRID09:30 - Technical Risk Management
09:50 - Panel Discussion
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SESSION 5C | OFF-GRID |
MANSOOR HAMAYUN CEO & CO-FOUNDER /// BBOXX |
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JOHN KIZITO GROUP CONTROLLER /// SOLARNOW |
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09:50 - Panel Discussion
An insider’s view of two structured finance deals in the off-grid sector
- How to take customer receivables off PAYG balance sheets?
- How can the deployment of structured finance instruments be strengthened and increased by a common framework for risk analysis and performance assessment of DESCOs?
MODERATOR ANDREW REICHER CHAIRMAN /// BERKELEY ENERGY AFRICA |
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DAVID BATTLEY DIRECTOR OF STRUCTURED FINANCE /// SUNFUNDER |
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JOHN KIZITO GROUP CONTROLLER /// SOLARNOW |
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JOSHUA ROMISHER SR. DIRECTOR CORPORATE FINANCE /// OFFGRID ELECTRIC |
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LYNDSAY HANDLER CEO /// FENIX INTERNATIONAL |
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MANSOOR HAMAYUN CEO & CO-FOUNDER /// BBOXX |
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DAVID TEN KROODE RENEWABLE ENERGY MANAGER /// OIKO |
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SESSION 6A | ON-GRID
11:15 - Short Project Pitches
KOBINA ERIC NYANTEH CEO /// TRANSLIGHT SOLAR |
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ERABOR OKOGUN CEO /// NEMOANTE |
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11:45 - Panel Discussion
Achieving the lowest LCOE for PV projects
- How and when to access low-cost capital for PV projects in Africa?
- Types of financing available and their strengths and weaknesses (early-stage development facilities, concessionary financing models, blended financing etc.)
- Looking forward; what types of stakeholders will become market leaders?
MODERATOR MICHAEL SCHMELA EXECUTIVE ADVISOR /// SOLARPOWER EUROPE |
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PAUL RITTERSMA CO-FOUNDER & PARTNER /// VOLTIQ |
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ERIC KALEJA VP ENERGY AFRICA / ASIA /// DEG |
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JOSEPH NGANGA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR /// RESPONSABILITY |
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SEBASTIAAN SURIE PRINCIPAL AFRICA /// CLIMATE FUND MANAGERS |
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ARJAN VISSER INVESTMENT OFFICER /// ELECTRIFI |
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SESSION 6B | MINI-GRID
11:15 - Benchmarking mini-grid DESCOs
- Scope and results of the benchmarking exercise, performed by IFC, across 20 minigrid DESCO's in different markets
- Converging key aspects of the mini-grid business model
- Impact on financing strategies
- Sharing trends and metrics in the minigrid market segment
DANIEL SHEPHERD CLEAN ENERGY SPECIALIST /// IFC |
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11:35 - Panel Discussion
Minigrid Solutions – Beyond Village Electrification
- Increased investment and business opportunities for distributed generation
- How companies can increase load through promotion of productive use
- Mechanisms to drive down the upfront investment costs
MODERATOR DANIEL SHEPHERD CLEAN ENERGY SPECIALIST /// IFC |
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MARK HANKINS CEO & FOUNDER /// AFRICAN SOLAR DESIGNS |
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RICHARD HALLAS REGIONAL VP AFRICA /// FLUIDIC ENERGY |
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SAM SLAUGHTER CEO /// POWERGEN RENEWABLE ENERGY |
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SESSION 6C | OFF-GRID
FROM MANUFACTURING TO THE END CONSUMER – HOW TO MEET THE WORKING CAPITAL NEEDS OF THE OFF-GRID SOLAR SECTOR?
11:15 - Capital requirements and barriers to access across the supply and distribution chain in the off-grid solar sector
- Importance of funding inventories
- Efficient financing solutions for distributors
- Deploying specialized working capital facilities for the off-grid sector
AUDREY DESIDERATO CO-FOUNDER & COO /// SUNFUNDER |
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11:35 - Panel Discussion
What are the working capital needs for off-grid solar companies at different stages of their development? How are those needs being met?
- Which instruments have the most potential to unlock working capital for off-grid solar manufacturers and distributors?
MODERATOR LAURA SUNDBLAD PROGRAM ADVISER /// GOGLA |
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ALEXANDER BASHIAN INVESTMENT OFFICER /// RESPONSABILITY INVESTMENTS AG |
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YEMENZWORK GIREFE NARDOS DIRECTOR EXPORT CREDIT GUARANTEE /// DEVELOPMENT BANK OF ETHIOPIA |
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RADHIKA THAKKAR VP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT /// GREENLIGHT PLANET |
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STEVE ANDREWS CEO & FOUNDER /// NEWLIGHT AFRICA |
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SESSION 7
12:30 - Plenary Closing Panel
What’s next? Looking forward to 2030
- Summarize & Wrap Up
- Bridging the gap from off-grid to on-grid: A holistic approach of the solar sector
- What will the future African energy sector look like?
KOEN PETERS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR /// GOGLA |
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KRISHAN RAGHUNATHAN ADVISOR /// WORLD BANK |
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MICHAEL FRANZ TEAM LEADER /// RECP |
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WALTER TRETTON ENERGY, TRANSPORT & ENVIRONMENT /// EUROPEAN COMMISSION |
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(In-depth session on key African solar markets)
SESSION 8 - MATCHMAKING
15:00 - Matchmaking
In cooperation with Solarplaza, SolarPower Europe is organising a structured information and matchmaking session that will bring together businesses and financiers. Supported by RECP, this matchmaking will promote African solar markets and bring together the European and African solar industry with financiers and other key market participants.
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