International Conference ‘Bioenergy for Sustainable Development in Africa’ –
Lessons Learnt from COMPETE
This international conference is organised by WIP Renewable Energies, Germany, in cooperation with Imperial College London in the framework of the project COMPETE.
Date and Time:
24-25 November 2009
Location:
Brussels, Belgium
Programme:
The main objective of this conference is to identify cooperation opportunities between stakeholders and policymakers from European and African countries to contribute to the exploitation of bioenergy resources for sustainable development in African countries.
Recent bioenergy initiatives, programmes and projects in African countries will be presented and discussed with respect to their social, economic and environmental sustainability.
Furthermore, partners from the COMPETE project will present lessons learnt on ensuring value creation and sustainability of bioenergy development in Africa in order to:
• Exploit the benefits of innovative bioenergy solutions with respect to sustainable rural development and improved livelihoods, increased energy access and income generation, alternative markets for agricultural products, security of energy supply, and diversification of energy sources
• Avoid the dangers of negative social and environmental implications, with regards to land competition, land ownership, insufficient value creation for local farmers, and the ‘fuel versus food' debate.
International Conference ‘Sustainable Bioenergy Projects in Africa - Barriers and opportunities for financing ’
This international conference is organised by ENDA-TM, Senegal, E+Co, The Netherlands, and WIP Renewable Energies, Germany, in the framework of the project COMPETE.
This conference is organised in close cooperation with the AREED programme of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Date and Time:
29 September to 1 October 2009
Location:
Dakar, Senegal
Programme:
The conference aims to identify ways to overcome potential barriers and risks to financing of
bioenergy projects in Africa, as well as highlight avenues for financing including bilateral and
multilateral financing, carbon finance, trade, and policy avenues. Emphasis will be placed on
projects and initiatives that ensure social, economic and environmental sustainability and
contributing to sustainable rural development.
The conference will bring together speakers and representatives from the investor, financing and
donor community, project developers, enterpreneurs, NGOs, international organisations as well as
national and international energy experts to share experiences and examples of initiatives and
projects that illustrate best practices.
Workshop COMPETE and RE Impact ‘Bioenergy for Rural Development in Africa and Asia’
This workshop on “Bioenergy for Rural Development in Africa and Asia” is jointly organised
by the EU co-funded projects “Competence Platform on Energy Crop and Agroforestry
Systems for Arid and Semi-arid Ecosystems- Africa (COMPETE)” and "Rural Energy
Production from Bioenergy Projects: Providing regulatory and impact assessment frameworks, furthering sustainable biomass production policies and reducing associated
risks (RE-Impact)”.
Date and Time:
30 June 2009
Location:
Hamburg, Germany
Programme:
Bioenergy is a sector that offers significant opportunities for rural development in Africaand Asia. The use of biomass for energy generation can contribute to the provision of affordable and accessible electricity services, and in schemes for the production ofiofuels for transport such as biodiesel. Rising fossil fuel prices, energy security, global warming and rural poverty are all key drivers behind the renewed interest in small and large scale biomass based electricity production schemes. These schemes span both ageold and modern energy conversion technologies, are the main energy source for about one-third of the world’s population, and will be critical to the achievement of sustainable development across the developing world.
The aim of this workshop is to present local experiences and results from both projects. Dedicated presentations on specific issues such as rural development and improved livelihoods, land use and land use conflict, biodiversity, and appropriate small and large scale bioenergy technologies for waste management, electricity and fuel production, will be done by African and Asian partners of COMPETE and RE-Impact.
International Conference ‘Bioenergy Policy Implementation in Africa’
This international conference is organised by the Centre for Energy, Environment and Engineering
Zambia (CEEEZ) and WIP Renewable Energies, Germany, in cooperation with the Food
Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), South Africa, in the
framework of the project COMPETE.
Date and Time:
26-28 May 2009
Location:
Lusaka, Zambia
Programme:
The main objective of this conference is to contribute to sound and successful bioenergy policy
implementation in Africa. For this, global experiences on bioenergy policy implementation will be reported and discussed
with high-level decision-makers from Africa.
Furthermore, partners from the COMPETE project will present lessons learnt on ensuring value
creation and sustainability of bioenergy development in Africa in order to:
• Exploit the benefits of innovative bioenergy solutions with respect to sustainable rural development and improved livelihoods, increased energy access and income generation, alternative markets for agricultural products, security of energy supply, and diversification of energy sources
• Avoid the dangers of negative social and environmental implications, with regards to
land competition, land ownership, insufficient value creation for local farmers, and the ‘fuel versus food' debate.
organised in the framework of the COMPETE WP4
on South-South Cooperation.
Date and Time:
1-7 March 2009
Location:
Mexico City, Valle del Mezquital, Morelos, Mexico
Programme:
The COMPETE Seminar in Mexico will foster South-South cooperation between partners from Africa, Latin America and Asia highlighting best practices as well as their replication potential in Africa.
The objective of this seminar is to provide information on potential plant resources for biofuels production in Mexico and to link Mexican researchers on (non toxic) Jatropha varieties with international experts. Furthermore, information will be presented on the complex interactions between agriculture, land management, environmental management, and urban development along historical and present examples within the Mexican City Valley.
International Workshop ‘Bioenergy Policies
for Sustainable Development in Africa’
This workshop is implemented in close cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB), an initiative of the EPFL Energy Centre. The workshop programme will include a RSB Regional Consultation for West Africa on 26 November.
Date and Time:
25-27 November 2008
Location:
Bamako, Mali
Programme:
The main objective of this workshop is to contribute to the development of sound and successful bioenergy policies in Africa.
For this, it is necessary to share the findings of on-going policy initiatives in Africa and to discuss future developments with high-level decision-makers from Africa with the aim to promote the development of bioenergy policies in Africa.
Today, it is widely accepted that coherent bioenergy policies in Africa are urgently needed on national, regional and international level to:
• Exploit the benefits of innovative bioenergy solutions with respect to sustainable rural development and improved livelihoods, increased energy access and income generation, alternative markets for agricultural products, security of energy supply, and diversification of energy sources
• Avoid the dangers of negative social and environmental implications, with regards to land competition, land ownership, insufficient value creation for local farmers, and the ‘fuel versus food' debate.
In order to contribute to the workshop objectives the workshop programme will include a RSB Regional Consultation for West Africa on 26 November.
This international workshop is organised by Mali-Folkecenter and WIP Renewable Energies, Germany, in cooperation with the Food Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), South Africa, in the framework of the project COMPETE, funded by the European Commission, DG Research.
Furthermore, this workshop is implemented in close cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB), an initiative of the EPFL Energy Centre.
International Conference on Biofuel Sustainability Schemes - An African Perspective
organised in the framework
of the COMPETE WP3 on Sustainability Analysis
of Alternative Land Use.
Date and Time:
16-19 June 2008
Location:
Arusha, Tanzania
Programme:
There are many arguments in favour of
the use of biomass, e.g. security of
energy supply, diversification of energy
sources, low-carbon emission, an alternative
market for agricultural products, and
rehabilitation of degraded lands, among
others. However, the current debate
focuses on the possible negative social
and environmental implications, especially
with regards to land competition, questions
about the reduction of emissions in
practice and the fuel versus food' debate.
Some of these implications are related
to either the lack of policy or policies
that do not encompass sustainable development.
One of the main problems in tackling
climate change has been the lack of
appropriate policies. Global-level policies
have often ignored the human and social
needs which energy fulfils, particularly
in developing countries. Although there
is no single policy or measure which
can provide a total solution, there
is need for immediate action. If African
countries are willing to engage in the
bioenergy sector in part by replacing
the traditional use of biomass with
more modern forms whilst ensuring that
they can fulfil their own energy needs,
it will be necessary to meet sustainability
assurance (environmental, social and
economic) and incorporate it into local
policy and governance.
The objectives of the conference are
(1) to assess the energy production
potentials in African countries and
the market possibilities for small and
large scale producers (2) to ensure
that a strong African perspective is
encouraged to emerge in the global arena
of energy, climate change and bioenergy
policy making (3) to engage the policy
and decision makers of African countries
in the sustainable bioenergy (4) to
promote capacity building and South-South
cooperation for a sustainable production
of energy crops (5) to assist African
countries in the development of strong
regional and national policies on the
sustainable development of bioenergy
resources for indigenous and export
markets (6) to highlight ways of developing
food AND fuel and avoiding the food
versus fuel conflict and (7) to review
progress of COMPETE Work Package 3 on
Sustainability Analysis of Alternative
Land Use and to help ensure that it
provides the practical tools so urgently
required by African policy makers, industry
and investors.
organised in the framework
of the COMPETE WP5 on Financing of Alternative
Land Use and International Trader on the occasion
of the UNIDO International Renewable Energy
Conference in Africa on 16-18 April in Dakar,
Senegal.
organised in the framework
of the COMPETE WP4 on South-South Cooperation
Date
and Time:
7-8 February 2008
Location:
Bombay, Kawardha (Chattisgarh), New
Delhi; India
Programme:
The COMPETE Seminar and Field Trip in India will foster
South-South cooperation between partners
from Africa, Latin America and Asia
highlighting best practices as well
as their replication potential in Africa.
This Seminar will include field visits
to expose African COMPETE partners to
successful interventions in the fields
of energy crop and agro-forestry systems
in India.
on the occasion of the
International
Conference "Stakes and Perspectives of
Biofuels for Africa"
Date
and Time:
26 - 29 November 2007
Location:
Ougadougu, Burkina Faso
Programme:
The principal objective of the conference
is to provide to governments and decision
makers an objective evaluation of the
potential of biofuels in Africa. Based
on technical, agronomical, economical
and social factors, the conference will
emphasize the advantages and disadvantages,
in terms of the environmental and socio-economical
impacts and opportunities.
In the framework of the international
Conference "Stakes and Perspectives
of Biofuels in Africa" COMPETE
partners will contribute to several
plenary sessions and the COMPETE project
will be responsible for the organisation
of two Round Tables:
- Round Table 1: Biofuels for transport
versus biofuels for power generation
- Round Table 4: Competition between
non-food and food uses. What is at stake?
What are the risks ?
This COMPETE meeting occurs on the
opening day of a weeklong study visit
(seminar) to Brazil for COMPETE partners
and associates. Since the focus during
the week is field experience, the presentations
are designed to mainly highlight some
key relevant issues rather than attempting
to present detailed analysis or have
in-depth discussions. Another purpose
of the day is to provide a preview of
some of the activities that will occur
during the week so as to place them
within the overall context of the COMPETE
work programme. The draft agenda below
therefore covers some info about COMPETE
work packages along with more general
presentations from COMPETE associates
and some information about the study
visits.
The COMPETE Seminar in Brazil fostered
South-South cooperation between partners
from Africa, Latin America and Asia
highlighting best practices as well
as their replication potential in Africa.
This Seminar included field visits to
expose African COMPETE partners to successful
interventions in the fields of energy
crop and agro-forestry systems in Brazil.
Mauritius, Mauritius Sugar Industry
Research Institute (M.S.I.R.I.)
Programme:
This workshop took place on the occasion
of the ICSU 'International Field Workshop
on Renewable Energy for Sustainable
Development in Africa' (18-21 June 2007)
The main objective of this workshop
was to evaluate opportunities of improved
land use (energy crops, improved agroforestry
systems) for the sustainable production
of modern bioenergy services in the
African context. Special emphasis has
been given to mechanisms ensuring the
economic, social and environmental sustainability
of future bioenergy production and use,
as well as the development of innovative
financing tools and practical, targeted
and efficient policies. This workshop
was organised in the framework of the
Competence Platform on Energy Crop and
Agroforestry Systems for Arid and Semi-arid
Ecosystems – Africa (COMPETE).
This first
COMPETE project meeting set the stage
for a successful implementation of the
Competence Platform on Energy Crop and
Agroforestry Systems for Arid and Semi-arid
Ecosystems – Africa. This meeting
includeed several keynote presentations
on the opportunities of improved land
use (energy crops, improved agroforestry
systems) for the sustainable production
of modern bioenergy services in the
African context. Additionally, detailed
working plans for the different work
packages of the project were elaborated
with a special focus on the timing of
the workshops/meetings organised in
the framework of the COMPETE project.
The COMPETE kick-off-meeting was
organised with all members of the Steering
Committee in order to esablish exactly
defined interfaces and finish the fine
tuning concerning the role of COMPETE
partners.
