Category: Energy Policy and Planning Projects

Date: 2007 – 2009
Client: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP)
Location: Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa and Kenya
Outcome: The IREU investigated the feasibility, practicalities and requirements of establishing integrated models for energy service delivery in rural areas. Rural areas are notoriously difficult to service, being characterised by scattered settlements, high unemployment, poor infrastructure, etc. The study reviewed various energy service delivery models in South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, investigating the feasibility of integrating grid and off-grid service options. A prominent consideration for off-grid energy services included LPG, a well positioned thermal fuel which, when accompanied by PV electricity, presents a complete and distributed household/institutional energy solution.

Date: 2008
Client: ESKOM
Location: South Africa
Outcome: Restio Energy was contracted by Eskom, the national electricity utility, to assess the impacts of the utility’s loadshedding activities on households in the country. Socio-economic research was carried out in 2 major metropolitan areas of the country, which informed a communication strategy as well as technical intervention strategies that form part of the project.

Date: 2008
Client: Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment
Location: South Africa
Outcome: Restio Energy was a sub-contractor on the GDACE funded project which targeted alternative energy interventions in township residential, commercial and public facilities. Restio Energy was responsible for profiling the socio-economic and demographic status quo as well as the current energy supply and demand profiles for these township sectors.

Date: 2007
Client: Western Cape Provincial Government
Location: South Africa
Outcome: Restio Energy worked with Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA), Insight and Nano Energy to undertake an investigation of the potential for renewable energy to contribute to meeting the energy needs of the Western Cape. Our focus was on province level resource potential and the development of practical scenarios that allow policy makers to assess probable costs and implications of reaching significant renewable energy targets in the province.

Date: 2010
Client: United Nations Industrial Development Organisation
Location: Tanzania
Outcome: The project focused on identifying opportunities for reducing the carbon footprint associated with agro-processing industries in Tanzania. Agriculture and agro-processing are key economic sectors in Tanzania and are major contributors to the country’s carbon footprint. Work included surveys of current energy usage, carbon footprint calculations and a full set of implementable strategies for the industries.

This UNIDO project, completed in partnership with Integrated Energy Solutions, started in early 2010 and looked at reducing the carbon footrpint of Tanzania’s agro-processing sector. Through interviews, site visits and desktop reviews, we were able to calculate the carbon footprint of some of Tanzania’s most prominent agro-processing industries, analysing the energy use involved with each. We were then able to determine the most appropriate measures needed to reduce these impacts, including the introduction of renewable energy sources, energy efficiency measures and operational interventions. The project also involved training industry representatives on these opportunities and how to take advantage of the opportunities presented, including in particular carbon funding.