Unlocking Solar Capital Africa

Wednesday 31 May 2023

Program Day 1


08:00

Registration & Welcome Coffee

60 min.

Session Topics:

09:00

Welcome Remarks by Chairperson

15 min.

Koen Peters

GOGLA

Session Topics:

09:15

Keynote Opening

presentation

30 min.

Session Topics:

SESSION 1

Scaling Solar for the Just Energy Transition

09:45

Shining the Light on Solar Growth in Africa

presentation

60 min.

Faran Rana

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

Session Topics:
  • Market status
  • Where are the opportunities for growth in Africa?

10:45

Morning Networking Break

Session Topics:

SESSION 2A

Finance & Investment Trends

11:45

Laying out the Financial Plan for a Sustainable Future

panel

75 min.

Juan Luis Agarrado

3E

Session Topics:
  • Blended Finance: Where are blended structures more needed?
  • Making Finance Catalytic: How to catalyze debt and equity
  • Lessons learned & best practices in blended finance
  • Opportunities for adaptation finance flows

SESSION 2B

Sustainable Development & Climate Goals

11:45

How Access to Electricity Changes Lives

panel

75 min.

Sarah Bieber

Acumen

Charlotte Taylor

Global Distributors Collective

Session Topics:
  • The intersection of SDG7 and SDG14: How can climate finance boost energy access
  • Monetizing Impact. Can social benefits contribute to additional income sources?
  • Powering livelihoods / Powering agriculture
  • Gender: Making an inclusive energy transition
  • Powering climate adaptation - defining and measuring a framework for adaptation & resilience

13:00

Networking Lunch

Session Topics:

SESSION 3A

Technology & Business Innovation

14:15

Africa's Vibrant, Dynamic, Next Generation of Solar Innovators

panel

75 min.

Session Topics:
  • The new generation of solar technology in Africa: powering the energy future
  • Innovative approaches to keep the energy sector evolving
  • The disruptive new technologies displacing Africa's fossil-fuel generators
  • Data and digitalisation transforming the technology landscape and driving growth in distributed solar.

SESSION 3B

Policy & Regulation

14:15

Integrated Energy Planning & Smart subsidies to achieve Sustainable Development Goals

panel

75 min.

Patrick K. Tonui

GOGLA

Session Topics:
  • Combining off-grid solar, mini-grid and utility-scale: The pathway to achieve universal access.
  • How subsidies contribute to reaching the underserved: Supply and Demand Side subsidies
  • Examples of best practice / leading countries in Integrated Energy Planning
  • Facilitating the targetted growth through subsidies?
  • Auctions vs Feed-in tariffs
  • PPAs

15:30

Afternoon Networking Break

Session Topics:

SESSION 4

Closing Keynote

16:30

Solar Champions in Africa

panel

60 min.

Session Topics:
  • Transforming opportunities into success stories: major lessons learned

17:30

Industry Announcements

presentation

20 min.

Session Topics:

17:50

Closing Keynote

presentation

10 min.

Session Topics:

18:00

Networking Drinks

Taking place at Lakeside Garden, Speke Resort

Session Topics:

Thursday 1 June 2023

Program Day 2


08:45

Opening of Day 2

30 min.

Session Topics:

SESSION 5A

On-Grid & Storage Developments

09:00

Large Scale & Utility

panel

45 min.

Session Topics:
  • What do tender schemes reveal about countries' ambition for solar?
  • Land-acquisition of large-scale projects
  • Securing competitive financing for large-scale projects

09:45

Batteries to Combat Grid Problems and Secure a Steady Supply of Electricity

panel

45 min.

Session Topics:
  • How does a succesfull storage + PV business model look like?
  • Challenges & solutions facing the battery industry
  • What impacts the future of storage in Africa?

SESSION 5B

Decentralized Renewable Energy

09:00

The Promise and Pain of PAYGo Profitability

45 min.

The PAYGo model has made life-changing solar products affordable for 25-30 million people and it is the most viable solution for hundreds of millions more. But profitability in the PAYGo space has proved a tough nut to crack and recent years have seen prominent failures. Cast your vote on the profitability of PAYGo in this interactive debate.

Session Topics:

09:45

Africa's Mini-grid Investment Landscape

panel

45 min.

In order to end energy poverty by 2030, Africa needs 140,000 minigrids. This session will explore the type of project finance facilities to enable meaningful scale for the sector.

Jessica Stephens

AMDA - Africa Minigrid Developers Association

Session Topics:

10:45

Morning Networking Break

Session Topics:

SESSION 6A

C&I and Distributed Renewables on Weak-Grids

11:30

C&I

panel

45 min.

Session Topics:
  • Financing arrangements: lessons learned
  • EPC challenges commonly encountered
  • Innovative financing models

12:15

Weak Grid

panel

45 min.

Distributed solar and storage technologies combined with high-efficiency inverters and appliances are poised to transform electricity access for homes and businesses on the weak grid. Innovative solutions are emerging that offer more reliable, affordable, and cleaner power for 840 million people. This represents a $130bn climate finance opportunity that helps governments achieve climate goals.

Session Topics:
  • Distributed solar and storage technologies combined with high-efficiency inverters and appliances
  • Displacing Nigeria's army of gensets with 'Solar generators'.
  • Asset finance for households and enterprises on the weak grid.
  • Investment opportunities

SESSION 6B

Productive Use & E-mobility

11:30

Financing Productive Uses of Energy

panel

45 min.

The addressable market for cold storage and solar water pumps alone across sub-Saharan Africa and India is estimated at $14b - with Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria hotbeds of innovation. This session will explore the investment opportunity for productive use companies.

Chiedza Mazaiwana

EEP Africa

Session Topics:
  • Addressing Affordability in the Productive Use space
  • Lessons learnt from Household Solar

12:15

The Driving Forces of Electric Vehicles in Africa

panel

45 min.

There are more than 100 e-mobility companies in Africa - saving drivers money, cleaning the air, lowering the temperature, quietening the streets all over the continent. This session will explore the competitive advantage of this hot new segment.

Paul Muhia

AEMDA

Session Topics:

13:00

Networking Lunch

Session Topics:

SESSION 7

Shaping Africa's Solar Future

14:15

High level Panel on the Outlook for Investment in Solar

60 min.

Session Topics:
  • Connecting utility, C&I, off-grid and mini-grid landscapes
  • Outlook for financing opportunities
  • Expectations from the industry & governments
  • Which countries will experience stellar growth and what are the key learnings
  • Cross-industry collaboration

15:15

Keynote Speech

presentation

15 min.

Session Topics:

15:30

Afternoon Networking Break

Session Topics:
16:30

Workshops & Matchmaking

90 min.

Session Topics:

18:00

Networking Drinks

Session Topics:

Need any help?

We got you. Send out an email to our team and we are here to help.

Laura Fortes
Senior Project Manager

For questions about the program and content of the event:

[email protected]
Manoela Hartung
Project Manager

For practical questions regarding our activities:

[email protected]
Tor Jörgensen
Business Developer

For questions regarding partnership opportunities:

[email protected]