Expert Advisory Services for Renewable Energy (RE) Integration and Smart Grid
Location
Mainly in SECO focus countries: Ghana, Tunisia, Tajikistan, Serbia, Albania, Mali, Brazil, etc.
project period
September 2022 - December 2027
client
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO
Services provided
Partner organisation
Energynautics GmbH
SECO in recent years made a strategic shift to end direct infrastructure financing except for innovative pilot projects, and to focus on technical assistance and institutional and capacity development to make best use of its grant funding modality. The additional the massive drop of variable RE (VRE) generation costs and the focus on VRE integration as key for energy transition have led SECO to refocus its support and start the development of new bilateral projects on smart grid and smart metering. SECO mandated the Consortium of Skat Consulting Ltd. and Energynautics GmbH for professional support for this shift.
Objective: Provision of support on sustainable energy systems in general and VRE integration and smart grid in particular.
Services provided by Skat: overall project management, coordination, monitoring, reporting, quality and budget control. Implementation of scoping studies, project evaluations and specific studies (e.g. synthetic fuel).
Activities: a) Strategic technical advisory services in the fields of VRE Integration and smart grid, and support to the preparation of public and internal outreach events, b) conceptualisation project scoping and review of new interventions in the fields of VRE and smart grids (e.g. Albania:dam safety sector needs and opportunities, Tajikistan: project ideas in energy sector), c) evaluation of energy efficiency projects in Serbia and Albania, d) study on possible support of production of synthetic fuels abroad for import to Switzerland, e) appraisal of selected investment plans and project proposals in the framework of SECO’s support to the CIF REI Program(e.g. Mali and Brazil), f) project specific support, including i)implementation consultancy support for the Ghana Solar PV based Net Metering(NMPV) project, ii) implementation consultancy support for the Tunisia Smart Grid Development Project, iii) Feasibility assessments or implementation consultancy support for other projects (to be defined).
Results: Various assessment and scoping study reports; improved project implementations through consultancy support, improved competence within SECO through continuous exchanges, strengthened network of SECO in relevant topics through outreach events.