Introductions

The aim of this blog is to provide programme updates and news on the Community Energy Development Programme (CEDP). Since some followers of this blog may be new to the CEDP this inaugural post will be a "scene setter".

The Programme

In 2009 Community Energy Scotland was invited by Professor Graham Ault of The University of Strathclyde  to visit Malawi to input into the Community Rural Electrification and Development project. The CRED project was established by the University of Strathclyde and supported by the Scottish Government International Development Fund, to provide local people with the knowledge and expertise to sustain their own power supply.

The Scottish Government then commissioned The University of Strathclyde together with Community Energy Scotland and IODParc to carry out a Scoping Study, and the outcomes of that pointed to different programme activities that the Scottish Government might support.

Those recommendations have now been taken forward in the form of the Malawi Renewable Energy Acceleration Programme (MREAP).

MREAP runs from January 2012 – March 2014. Its aim is to:

Support The Government of Malawi energy strategy by accelerating the growth of community and renewable energy development in Malawi through multiple, targeted and coordinated activities with good potential to provide a platform for that growth.

 

MREAP has four main elements and Community Energy Scotland is leading on the Community Energy Development Programme which will run until March 2014.

 

Programme Manager, Georgy Davis, being shown a biogas plant at Choma village, Malawi 

                                                                  

 There are three main strands to the CEDP:

The Community Energy Support Toolkit and Network:

This will provide learning and development tools for Malawian NGOs and Community based organisations to help them in developing sustainable energy projects. There will also be a number of activities in supporting a network of Malawian communities to promote the sharing of knowledge and ideas. 

Strategic Community Energy Projects:

There are four Strategic Energy Partners in the CEDP who will be working very closely with Community Energy Scotland, not only in taking forward several community energy projects covering a range of different community ownership models and technologies but also in providing steering group input to the Programme and how it is tailored to suit local needs. The four Strategic Energy Partners consist of:

• Mzuzu University who are taking forward several biogas and energy efficient cook stove projects
• Concern Universal who will be providing solar electricity to community centres, cook stoves to 100 new villages and enhancing biomass availability.
• WASHTED will be working with 10 communities to install solar electricity and promote social enterprise to ensure the projects sustainability.
• MuREA will finalise their community hydro project and investigate further possible micro hydro developments within the Mulanje area.

Community Renewable Grant & Loan Facility:

The Scottish Government has provided funding for a grant and loan facility which is being developed.


The People

There are a number of staff working on the CEDP. Based in Scotland:

Programme Manager - Georgy Davis
International Programme Development Officer - Sarah Jones
Based in Malawi:

Northern Region Development Officer - Sithembile (centre above)
Central Region Development Officer - Blessings (left above)
Southern Region Development Officer - Mavuto (right above)

We'll be posting updates on the activities of the CEDP as and when news comes through.

Coming up...

 

International Programme DO, Sarah Jones, will be travelling to Malawi on the 20th July for a 2 week visit to meet with staff and partners of the CEDP. Check back here for regular updates from Malawi!