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.
- The first MENALINKS scoping trips took place in 02/2024 in Egypt and Jordan and later to Morocco and Tunisia. Within these trips, possible focus areas were discussed within workshops and bilateral meetings with stakeholders.
- Members of the MENALINKS program were present at the MENA-Europe Future Energy Dialogue Conference (MEFED) in Thessaloniki on 8th and 9th 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 on 09/2024, bringing together utilities, development banks, research and the public sector. At COP29 a side-event was organised to discuss Renewables integration through Sector Coupling in the MENA region.
- The MENALINKS regional kick-off conference was conducted 29th 09/2024 to 3rd 10/2024 in Cairo with high-level attendance from all MENALINKS countries and the German ambassador to Egypt.
- 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 Mini-grids in Egypt will be the first focus area. Works have been conducted to are under way to examine existing regulatory gaps and a benchmark report has been drafted to incorporate international experience. Regulatory amendments will be proposed to EgyptERA, which will be incorporated in acts as a legislative process of reference for P2P mini-grid investments, to specify e.g. ownership, licensing and tariff structures.
- 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. Workshops and further bilateral meetings took place in 09/2024 and in 02/2025. 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. The focus area was confirmed to be on Urban Smart Grids and Demand aggregation.
- A meeting between the MENALINKS consortium and the Tunisian counterparts (Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy – MIME, the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas - STEG, and the National Agency for Energy Management -ANME) was held on the 5th of 12/2024 to further discuss the results of the Scoping Mission from 09/2024. After this important meeting, the focus area was confirmed by the MIME. The focus area is primarily oriented towards Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for stand-alone and decentralised projects. Furthermore, MENALINKS has been solicited to support a centralised BESS pilot project coupled to a PV installation.
- Discussions with stakeholders are still underway to define the focus area. Current discussions are evolving on topics on the system level (transmission grid) and distribution level.
Latest Update:
04/2025
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