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Austria

Austria
OVERVIEW OF SUPPORT : The Austrian Development Cooperation in Africa’s Energy sector is engaged in Western, Eastern and Southern Africa mainly through the establishment of Centres for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE, SACREEE, EACREEE). The main partners are the Regional Economic Communities (ECOWAS, SADC, EAC), supported also by UNIDO and other ICPs. Austria is committed to international agreements like COP21 to exit the use of fossil fuels and to increasingly help in substitution by Renewable Energy Technology (hydro-, wind-, solar power, biogenic and geothermal). The cooperation between Austria and SADC is based on a cooperation agreement of 2008 which focuses on the support for the region on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. Other regional initiatives are SOLTRAIN to support the use of and training in Solar Water Heaters and the “Environment and Energy Partnership (EEP)”, initiated by Finland and supported also by DFID. Since 2009 Austria has committed EUR 8,5 Mill in support of sustainable energy solutions to the SADC region and pledged another EUR 3,5 Mio until 2018.

Statement of Intent: concentration on RE/EE; Future: further technical assistance to SADC in 2017, contribution planned to third phase of EEP in 2018
Austrian Embassy Pretoria
MAIN CONTACT POINT:
Mr Matthias Radosztics
[email protected]
+27(12)4529130
TA TO SADC ENERGY:


Project/Programme Start End Financial Support Type of Support DAC/CRS Code Partners/Co-financing
No 1 Southern African Solar Thermal Training and Demonstration Initiative, SolTrain, Phase III 2016-03-01 2019-06-30 2,53M€ Political Advocacy, Capacity Building, Technical Training, Infrastructure (Solar demonstration systems)
 23030 AEE-INTEC, OFID
No 2 Contribution to the Energy and Environment Partnership Southern and Eastern Africa, EEP S and EA, Phase II 2013-07-01 2017-08-31 2M€ Regional and National Feasibility Studies, Capacity Building, Technical Training, Infrastructure (Pilot Projects, Demonstration Projects) 23030 ForMin, DFiD, SADC
No 3 Contribution to the capacity development of SADC 2014-04-01 2016-11-30 0.6M€ Technical Assistance to SADC Secretariat, Energy Division 23030 SADC
No 4 Contribution to SACREEE, Establishment and First Operational Phase 2013-12-01 2019-03-31 1.8M€ Political Advocacy, Capacity Building, Feasibility Studies, Lobbying for RE and EE
UNIDO, SADC
No 5 Communicating Energy in Southern Africa through SADC Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC, Harare) 2014-04-01 2017-06-30 0.57M€ Assistance to SADC Secretariat, Energy Division in communicating energy results in SADC Region 23030
 SARDC / SADC
No 6 Small grant agreements for the Austrian Private Sector to Increase Energy Efficiency in SADC Member State 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0.4M€ Capacity Building, Technical Training different
No 7 Contribution to a SADC Nexus Workshop 2016-06-30 2016-06-30 0.03M€ Capacity Development 23030
No 8 Contribution to EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund 2014-01-29 2018-06-30 0.2M€ Infrastructure different Trust Fund
No 9 Gender Mainstreaming in Renewable Energies in the SADC Region 2015-11-01 2018-12-31 0.5M€ Political Advocacy, Capacity Building, Feasibility Studies, Lobbying for Gender Mainstreaming 23030 SARDC / SADC

Please click to view completed projects

 

Expected outcome, indicators of project/programme in ICP Regional Energy Support:

No 1 to No 9: ongoing; ad. No 2 see reporting of Finland; ad. No 4 see also UNIDO/SADC project document

Achievements, indicators of project/programme in ICP Regional Energy Support:

No 1: See final progress reporting of phase II per end of February 2016


SOLTRAIN, co-funded by OFID (OPEC Fund for International Development), had widely recognized impact on 6 SADC partner countries concerning the use of solar water heating systems for both domestic household and industry. SOLTRAIN has raised awareness and demonstrated in its first two phases what can be done with solar thermal:
- 25 stakeholder workshops with 812 participants took place in the partner countries to inform stakeholders from industry, education, policy, administration, social institutions and the financing sector about the broad implementation of renewable energy technologies, in particular of solar thermal technologies.
- 80 technical training courses for University staff, vocational training centres and industry, were carried out with a total of 2150 participants.
- 187 solar thermal systems demonstrate the potential of solar thermal solutions in the residential and industrial sector to reduce electrify demand and costs as well as CO2 emissions
- The annual solar yield of all solar thermal systems installed in the first and second phase SOLTRAIN was 1 500 MWh. This corresponds to electricity savings of 1 650 MWh/a and 522 tons of avoided CO2. The avoided electricity cost corresponds to ZAR 3.5 million.
- And with the support of SOLTRAIN national roadmaps for solar thermal systems ranging from small-scale systems to large systems for hotels, hospitals and industrial applications have been adopted in all partner countries.


No 2: See Progress Reporting Finland (lead donor)


No 3: See final progress report per end of November 2016: The contract with the seconded technical assistance was successfully terminated by end of November 2016. One of the major outputs was the design of the SADC Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan, REEESAP 2016 – 2030, approved by SADC and available in a long version and printed in a short version.


No 4: See progress reporting per end of September 2016: In July 2015 SADC Energy Ministers decided upon the establishment of SACREEE in Namibia (being the host-country). In the course of the set-up of SACREEE adjustments become necessary. It has been necessary to respond to the realities of SADC. Important legal and administrative steps are still pending in order to complete the institutional arrangements. The Intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding (IGMoU) for the official establishment of SACREEE and the host agreement are still pending to be signed. Furthermore, it should be noted that even after the IGMOU is approved and signed, it will take a while for MS to first include the SACREEE budget in their national budgets and eventually start releasing their contributions to SACREEE. Until the IGMOU has been signed and SACREEE is established as a legal entity it is necessary to provide funding from the project funds already available to cover the staff costs in 2017 of some SACREEE key staff and also start running some specific programmes. However it has to be noted that SACREEE has earned the recognition of the SADC Member States which lays the foundation for the new SACREEE Executive Director to develop a profound work program and engage with international partners to become a strong and active regional institution. Given these realities the project period is extended until 31.03.2019.


No 5: See progress reporting per end of June 2016: Three editions of SADC Today were produced. In thirteen SANF energy and energy-related articles were posted on the SARDC and SADC websites. In the SADC Energy Portal an editable ICP support matrix was included. One of the major highlights was the production of the first SADC Energy Monitor presented to the public during the 36. SADC Summit in Swaziland.


No 7: cancelled


No 9: The major highlight was the production and publication of the booklet Efforts and Benefits Mainstreaming Gender in the SADC Renewable Energy Sector.

Outcomes/Results in ETG Action Plan, indicators:

In line with Outcomes/Results in “ETG Action Plan”, indicators: Ad. Results 2: Activity 1 in support of SARDC; Ad. Result 6: Activity 1 letter to Mme Tax was positively replied and shared with ICPs; Activity 3 led to the deployment of TA to SADC Secretariat; ad Result 7: Activity 1 led to the offer by AT to finance a NEXUS workshop, ad Result 8: Activity 1 led to the funding of SARDC document of how to mainstream Gender issues in the RE sector;
In line with “Revised Regional Indicative Strategy Strategic Development Plan (RISDP)”: YES