SME finance experts - Green Financing training for the banking sector and investment readiness for SMEs

The Ivorian electricity system is the third largest in West Africa, after Nigeria and Ghana. Electricity generation capacity is mainly provided by natural gas and hydro power. Despite the large hydroelectric capacity, the power generation mix is dominated by gas-fired generation. The Ivorian Nationally Determined Contribution is ambitious and in the process of revision which includes a ‘bottom-up’ approach leading to clear contributions from individual GHG-producing sectors. The authorities' objective is to diversify the energy mix and, consequently increase the share of renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) by 2030.

The objective of this particular assignment is to transfer the know-how on green financing and contribute to raising awareness about modern energy performance and environmental standards in the area of RE/EE to the creation of demand-driven, self-sustaining market for investments in RE/EE high performance  technologies and services supporting the green economy.

More specifically, the objective of this assignment is to develop capacities to increase the level of the financial flows from the private sector and to strengthen the framework for the development and evaluation of RE/EE project applications. Therefore, the specific objective is to contribute to building capacities of the key stakeholders in order to support the efforts to develop the RE/EE market in the Ivory Coast and to increase financial flows through the following activities:

• Strengthen the banking sector representatives in assessing RE/EE projects through extending the service package of the banking associations to train their members;
• Strengthen the capacities of projects developers and SMEs (technology providers and investors) to develop bankable RE/EE projects through selected private sector associations;
• In cooperation with the GIZ team, identify the best possible option to anchor the developed Capacity Development (CD) measures within the national system through academia or private sector associations;
• Develop and implement the train-the-trainer programme along the selected topics;
• Develop and implement investment readiness programme for SMEs subject to CD measures;
• Standardize tools for RE project development and assessment including financial analysis model, best practice guides for financing RE/EE projects, checklists, standardized business models etc.

Finally, the awareness about the future development of the energy sector, its contribution to reduction in GHG emissions, the regulative framework which governs the sector and the government’s support to the key stakeholders should be also raised.