MENALINKS: Linking ambitious renewable energy development and efficient sector coupling in the MENA region
The project supports the scaling up of renewable energy ambitions through integration measures and sector coupling. By accelerating the expansion of renewable energy and optimising the integration and use of renewable energy, the need for additional fossil capacity will be reduced. Long-term changes in the structural framework, the development of business models, education and training measures as well as financing mechanisms will be developed and their implementation supported. A selection of the sector modules will be implemented in each of the partner countries. In addition to existing initiatives and links, the political priorities of the partner countries, emission reduction potentials and an optimal contribution to the integration of high shares of renewable energies will be taken into account.
- Countries
- Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Türkiye
- IKI funding
- 28,326,404.00 €
- Included preparation phase
- 735,047.00 €
- Duration
- 09/2023 till 11/2029
- Status
- open
- Implementing organisation
- Guidehouse Germany GmbH
- Political Partner
-
- Ministry of Electricity and Energy - Egypt
- Ministry of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment (MEMEE) - Morocco*
- Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources - Jordan
- Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources - Türkiye
- Ministry of Industry and Technology - Tunisia
- Implementing Partner
-
- Elia Grid International
- Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI
- Islamic Development Bank(IsDB)
- National Energy Research Center (NERC) - Jordan
- Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE)
- Renewables Academy AG (RENAC)
State of implementation/results
- MENA region
- The MENALINKS implementation phase was officially launched (09/2024) and preparations for the scoping trips, which took place from end of 02/2024, began. The German embassies and the respective Ministries in the five respective MENALINKS countries were informed about the launch of the programme.
- Members of the MENALINKS program were present at the MENA-Europe Future Energy Dialogue Conference in Thessaloniki (09/2024), with a strong focus on regional cooperation, electricity infrastructure and renewables. The MENALINKS program organized a roundtable on the role of electricity grids for climate action in the context of New York Climate Week (09/2024), bringing together utilities, development banks, research and the public sector.
- Bilateral meetings and workshops were held with the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy (MoERE), the Egyptian transmission operator Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC), the New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), as well as the regulator Egyptian Electric Utility & Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency (EgyptERA). Design and regulation of minigrids in Egypt will be the first focus area. Works are under way to examine regulatory gaps and a benchmark report has been drafted to incorporate international experience. Contact with the bilateral energy cooperation responsibles of GIZ was established to avoid duplication of work.
- In Jordan, consulted stakeholders were the Jordanian Chamber of Industry (JCI), the Jordanian Ministry for Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR), the Jordanian transmission operator National Electric Power Company (NEPCO), the Jordanian Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund (JREEEF), the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC), as well as GIZ. Based on identified needs and challenges, the MENALINKS team developed a work plan and methodology for the selected focus area of industrial flexibility to integrate larger shares of renewables. A second workshop and further bilateral meetings took place in 09/2024. Besides, MENALINKS has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Jordan Industrial Estates Co. (JIEC), which administers Industrial Cities (parks) and will cooperate with data access and industrial stakeholders engagement.
- A scoping trip in 06/2024 involved bilateral meetings with the Ministry for Sustainable Development and Energy Transition (MTEDD) and the grid operator ONEE. These key institutions were also present, in addition to the regulatory authority ANRE, the energy agency AMEE, and further stakeholders at a scoping workshop. Interest was expressed and has been informally confirmed in the focus area of flexibility from buildings and demand aggregation in the context of smart grids. Official confirmation of the focus area selection is imminent. The MENALINKS program will also be represented at the PtX summit, a key event in the Moroccan energy landscape.
- A scoping workshop with the energy Ministry, the utility STEG and further stakeholders in the Tunisian power sector, including the energy agency ANME, international donors (World Bank, giz) took place in 09/2024. Battery storage and smart grids were high priority areas identified, which will be further confirmed by political stakeholders.
- The Ministry has suggested four topics to facilitate the integration of renewables at the distribution and transmission levels. The distribution topics were discussed with DSOs and received much interest and support from operators. Further scoping and narrowing down are planned in 10/2024 with stakeholders to select and define the program’s Focus Area.
Latest Update:
12/2024
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