Catalysing Bankability of East African Mini-grids by Integrating Transport Energy Demand

该项目通过创建“综合微型电网”的新商业模式，有可能加速肯尼亚和撒哈拉以南非洲地区的清洁能源获取，包括弱势群体和边缘化群体，并支持性别平等。在肯尼亚，小型电网项目的平均发电量为40%（骑士能源）。这些项目通常是非商业性的，需要政府资助，导致能源使用率持续较低（世界银行的数据为71.4%）。肯尼亚的微型电网项目平均约为60kW，投资仅为5 -8万英镑，规模太小，无法吸引许多私人投资者。该项目的直接目标是为目前未得到服务的能源用户提供能源，包括边缘化、弱势群体和妇女、老年人和残疾人等群体。它通过使农村微型电网具有可投资性，并为开发商和投资者提供手段（软件）来确定许多此类项目的投资组合，这将比肯尼亚目前的农村电气化计划对更多的村庄产生积极影响。设想的能源系统的主要能源输入是太阳能，也有一些小型风力发电场的潜力。清洁能源技术也被设想用于能源系统的需求方，包括电动汽车。除了提供能源获取之外，设想的商业模式的部署将取代对化石燃料运输能源的依赖，从而减少当地空气、土壤和水的污染，并减少在发电和燃料分配中燃烧化石燃料所产生的二氧化碳排放。此外，静态电池储能系统将被研究，以帮助平衡微型电网对太阳能/风能供应时间的能源需求。最后，需求侧响应（DSR）和其他有效的需求管理实践将被调查其平衡潜力。项目合作伙伴包括两家总部位于肯尼亚的合作伙伴和两家欧洲合作伙伴。**New Resource Partners** (NRP)是一家当地清洁能源创新企业，为英国、欧洲和印度的国家和地方政府以及清洁能源投资者提供咨询服务。**非洲可持续交通（STA）是非洲国内的领导者，一个非政府组织，其核心任务是通过可持续交通解决方案促进贫困人口获得能源。**VAI Capital**是一家专注于可持续交通的投资和基金管理公司，专注于为综合能源和电动交通项目融资，以获得财务回报，并对气候、经济和社会产生影响。**Knights Energy** （Knights and Apps Ltd.的交易名称）是一家清洁能源项目开发商，在东非安装的总装机容量超过12MW。

This project offers the potential to accelerate clean energy access in Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa, including for disadvantaged and marginalised groups, and supporting gender equality, by creating new business models for "**Integrated Mini-grids**". In Kenya, energy off-take from mini-grid projects averages 40% (Knights Energy). Such projects often remain non-commercial, and require government funding, resulting in persistently low energy-access-rates (71.4%, World Bank). Mini-grid projects in Kenya average around 60kW, an investment of only £50-80k, and too small to be attractive to many private investors.The project directly targets **energy access** for presently unserved energy users, including marginalised, disadvantaged and groups such as women, the elderly and persons with disabilities. It does this through rendering rural mini-grids investable, and providing the means (software) for developers and investors to identify portfolios of many such projects, which will positively impact many more villages than presently reached by Kenya's rural electrification programmes.The primary energy input to the energy systems envisaged is solar, with some potential for small wind farms also. Clean energy technology is envisaged also on the demand-side of the energy systems, including electric vehicles. In addition to providing energy access, deployment of the business models envisaged will displace reliance on fossil-fired transport energy, leading to reduced local pollution of air, soil and water, and reduced CO2 emissions from the burning of fossil fuels both in the production of electricity, and in the distribution of fuel. In addition static battery energy storage systems will be investigated to help balance the demand for energy in mini-grids with the timing of solar/wind supply. Finally, Demand Side Response (DSR) and other efficient demand management practices will be investigated for their balancing potential.The Project Partners include two Kenyan-headquartered and two European partners. **New Resource Partners** (NRP) is a local clean energy innovation business, advising national and local governments, and investors in clean energy, working in the UK, Europe and India. **Sustainable Transport Africa** (STA) is the in-country lead, an NGO whose core mandate is to promote energy access for the underprivileged through sustainable transport solutions. **VAI Capital** is an investment and fund manager specialised in sustainable transport, with focus on financing integrated energy and e-mobility projects for financial return and climate, economic and social impact. **Knights Energy** (Trading Name of Knights and Apps Ltd.) is a clean energy project developer, with a total installed capacity of over 12MW installed across East Africa.