Many sub-Saharan African countries are experiencing severe electricity shortages as a result of inadequate domestic electricity generation capacity and the high price of imported fossil fuels. In response, ICSHP took part in the one-week training to boost the capacity of technical experts and small hydropower developers as a way of helping millions access affordable electricity conducted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), alongside the Southern African Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREE).

The training conducted at COMESA Secretariat in Lusaka is seen as a crucial step towards building the capacities of the experts, standards bureaus and project developers for effective and efficient planning, management and operationalisation of Small Hydropower based on the technical guidelines.

The four-day training covered an eight-module programme aligned with the UNIDO’s Small Hydropower Technical Guidelines, encompassing every stage of the small hydropower (SHP) development, from pre-feasibility to economic appraisal and maintenance.

Leveraging its two decades of experience in small hydropower (SHP) development, UNIDO is actively working with member states in their efforts to identify, establish, operationalize and maintain small hydropower plants.

As UNIDO’s Heng Liu remarked, “Small hydropower is an essential tool to promote industrial development, support rural communities’ energy needs and promote climate-smart agriculture”

The UNIDO initiative involves supporting South-South and triangular cooperation, facilitating knowledge exchange among energy experts and organizations, and helping nations acquire the necessary skills and adhere to internationally accredited standards.

As part of this initiative, UNIDO has collaborated with the International Centre on Small Hydro Power, the Secretariat of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Southern African Development Community Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE) to host training sessions on small hydropower development and international standards. These joint efforts build capacities and engage with policymakers, national standardization bureaus, energy project developers, and private sector stakeholders in the Eastern and Southern African regions.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the training session, Director of Infrastructure and Logistics at COMESA Secretariat Dr Bernard Dzawanda said access to energy remains a critical challenge in the region with many citizens lacking reliable and affordable electricity.

“The region has a population of around 600 million people, with a high demand for energy, particularly electricity. However, the energy sector in many of our member countries is still underdeveloped and underfunded, leading to low levels of electricity and unreliable energy supply,” Dr Dzawanda said.

He added that the electricity access rate in the COMESA region is around 60%, meaning that almost half of the population do not have access to electricity.

The experts stated that the region has enormous unexploited natural resources required for the development of the power sector. The region’s natural energy resources are plentiful and diverse, ranging from the vast solar and wind resources that are present in all Member States.  In addition, the region has significant geothermal energy along the East African Rift countries namely Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya while abundant hydropower resources are available in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Zambia.

Dr Dzawanda revealed that the under-developed regulatory frameworks and the absence of a framework for monitoring progress complicates implementation modalities and inhibits decisions on electricity infrastructure projects.

In recognition of these challenges, COMESA has prioritised the development of regional energy infrastructure aimed at increasing energy access and ensuring reliable, affordable and sustainable modern energy services. A number of specialised institutions have been established such as the Regional Association of Energy Regulators for Eastern and Southern Africa (RAERESA) and the Eastern Africa Power Pool. COMESA has also developed and adopted the COMESA Model Energy Policy Framework which has introduced reforms in the energy sector.

Acting Permanent Secretary in Zambia’s Ministry of Energy Mr Mwape Chipala said hydropower projects can become important drivers of sustainable economic growth in Africa and it is also cleaner than some other technologies and more predictable than solar or wind and can be used for complimentary activities such as irrigation and flood control.

UNIDO and its partners emphasized the urgency of establishing international SHP standards following the International Standards Organization (ISO) working agreements. These standards will be crucial for ensuring systematic designs, de-risking SHP investments, and promoting multi-purpose SHP for sustainable uses in the region. Representatives of National Standardization Bureaus participating in the training, recognized the importance of adherence to these standards and expressed a strong commitment to joining the ISO/TC-339 Technical Committee.

Reuben Gisore, Technical Director at the African Standards Organization (ARSO) said, “Standards harmonization is crucial for promoting consistency, efficiency, and safety in small hydropower development across the region. ARSO, with the mandate of ensuring conformity assessment in the framework of AfCTA, commits to join UNIDO’s efforts and will participate in cross-regional activities.”

Throughout the training, experts from diverse countries established valuable working relations, exchanged best practices, discussed funding opportunities through joint programmes, and assessed the strategic significance of SHP in the context of rural development. Participants visited the Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre to gain first-hand insights into local SHP initiatives.

Speaking at the conclusion of the training, Mohamedain Seif Elnasr, energy expert at the COMESA Secretariat, said, “In our decades-long partnership with UNIDO and the International Centre on Small Hydro Power, we value the critical role UNIDO plays in the field of small hydropower development and COMESA will support SHP standardization and market integration.”

UNIDO Senior Technical Expert Mr LIU Heng pledged the UN’s support for countries to transform the access to energy.

“UNIDO stands with you. UNIDO will be a platform for technology and knowledge transfer, innovation and investments for Small Hydropower. We work with Member States to help them realise their energy and climate ambitions”.

As follow-up of this activity, the International Center on Small Hydro Power (ICSHP)  took part in the second training on small hydro power in Abuja, Nigeria from 19-22 March, 2024.