Sustainable Energy for All , International Workshop on Best Practices and Business Opportunities for Energy Access Financing and Investors Forum

Two day workshop on Sustainable Energy for All , International Workshop on Best Practices and Business Opportunities for Energy Access Financing was held on 16th March 2016 follwed by Investors Forum on 17th March 2016, Annapurna Hotel, Kathmandu, Nepal.

The workshop was organized by the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) of Nepal in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nation Development Programme/Global Energy Fund (UNDP/GEF) and United Nation Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). Around 150 participants attended this workshop from:

  1. PROJECT DEVELOPERS (private sector, technology suppliers, government entities, etc.)
  2. PROJECT SPONSORS (public sector, bilateral agencies, financial institutions, etc.)
  3. POLICY MAKERS
  4. INVESTORS (Banks and Financial Institutions, Equity Investors)

OBJECTIVE OF THE WORKSHOP
The workshop  reviewed the success factors of Renewable Energy (RE) financing within and outside Asia and the Pacific, and shared knowledge on the development of viable and innovative RE financing models that can be deployed. The key objectives were to:

  1. Discuss and highlight successful policies, incentives, and mechanisms in RE financing in Nepal and Asia and the Pacific Region; and
  2. Identify and rationalize the services offered by development programs and agencies that provide capacity building and investment facilitation support for energy access enterprises.
  3. Discuss on financing modalities carried out by Banks, Financial Institutions and Equity Investors in RE Projects

Following the previous day’s workshop, the second day will feature case studies of energy access projects that successfully received commercial financing. It will also provide an avenue for project developers in Nepal to present their own ideas to potential investors.
The objectives of the forum are to:

  1. Learn about successful business models and the key factors of success; and
  2. Facilitate private investment by linking investors and project developers.

OUTCOME OF THE WORKSHOP

  1. Increased awareness on latest policy developments on RE financing
  2. Sharing national and international RE financing business models and their replication
  3. To identify the existing issues & challenges in RE financing
  4. Increased awareness to mobilize private and public sector investment
  5. To introduce new business models for RE financing for effective utilization of RETs at commercial, industrial and domestic scale

The event was follwed by Energy for All Investor Forum (Kathmandu, Nepal, 17th March 2016). AEPC and ADB’s Energy for All Program hosted a 1-day investor forum to discuss investor opportunities in the energy sector in Nepal.

Click on links to download respective presentations

Day 1:

Session 1: Case Study of Successful Deal Closures.

  1. Solar Micro-grid in Nepal – Mr. Kishor Rimal, General Manager, Gham Power Pvt. Ltd.
  2. Innovative Business Models in Microhydro– Mr. Mahabir Pun, Annapurna Dhaulagiri Community Eco-tourism Development and Promotion Organization
  3. Investor Perspective in Financing Renewable Energy Projects in Nepal– Mr. Dinesh Dulal, Head Renewable Energy and Micro Finance, NMB Bank

Session 2: Policy Framework and Programs.

  1. Perspectives of a Development Partner on Energy Access – Mr. Pushkar Manandhar, Project Officer (Energy), Nepal Resident Mission, Asian Development Bank
  2. Regulations on RE Financing– Mr. Dirgha Raj Rawal, Deputy Director, Nepal Rastra Bank.
  3. Repatriation of Capital in Nepal – Mr. Subash Acharya, Deputy Director, Nepal Rastra Bank.
  4. Initiatives of Winrock International for Energy Financing Policy Intervention, Ms. Resha Piya, Winrock International
  5. Development Partner’s perspective on RE financing in Nepal – Mr. Prem Sagar Subedi, Clean Start Project Coordinator,  United Nation’s Capital Development Fund.

Session 3: Introduction to Central Renewable Energy Fund (CREF).

  1. Introduction to CREF and CREF Initiative –Mr. Prithvi Gyawali, Head of CREF Secretariat.
  2. Perspectives of Handling Bank under CREF – Ms. Shanta Siwakoti, Project Head- Handling Bank Unit, Global IME Bank

Session 4: Regional Experience in Renewable Energy Financing

  1. Pro Poor Public Private Partnership Initiatives –Mr. Anirudh Prasad Sah, UNESCAP
  2. Capacity building and Investment facilitation support for RE financing – Mr. Charles Navarro, ADB
  3. Financing Electrification Projects – An experience of GIZ’s Micro Hydro Debt Fund– Ms. Pooja Sharma, Senior Program Officer, GiZ
  4. Accelerating Energy Supply through Financing – Mr. Bishal Thapa, Saral Urja Pvt. Ltd.

Session 5: Access to Finance:

  1. Insurance policy in RE financing–  Mr. Sushil Bajracharya, Assistant General Manager, Himalayan General Insurance Co.
  2. Energy Financing Experience of Civil Bank – Mr. Yuvraj Guragain, CREF Focal Person, Civil Bank
  3. Energy Financing Experience of Ace Bank – Mr. Suyog Shrestha, CEO, Ace Development Bank
  4. Microfinance in the Clean Energy Sector Mr. Damodar Regmi, Senior Manager/ ISD Chief, Jeevan Bikash Samaj, Morang
  5. Subsidized Mini Hydro: Bankability Perspective and Policy Challenges – Mr. Anand Pradhan, Hydro Power Specialist

Day 2:

Session 7: Overcoming Clean Energy Barriers through Technology and Financial Innovation.

  1. Maximizing Value by Adopting International Standards – Mr. Avishek Malla, Technical Director, Sun Farmer
  2. The Cycle of Standardization and Innovation – Mr. Michael Tuckwell, ADB Energy for All
  3. Scaling up energy access through Productive End Uses – Mr. Anjal Niraula, Engineering Manager, Gham Power Pvt. Ltd.
  4. Strategies to Attract Foreign Investment and Repatriate Capital – Mr. Willem Grimminck
  5. Accessing Private Equity and Venture Capital Investment in Nepal – Mr. Sujan Paudel, CTI-PFAN Country Coordinator, Nepal

 Session 8: Business plan presentations.

  1. Solar-Powered Irrigation and Community Electricity, Mr. Avishek Malla, Technical Director, SunFarmer Pvt. Ltd
  2. Grid Battery Interactive Solar Power, Mr. Purna Bahadur Pariyar, Managing Director, Source and Solutions Pvt. Ltd

Session 9: Business plan presentations.

  1. Monju Khola Mini Hydro Project, Mr. Lakpa Nureau Sherpa, Solukhumbu
  2. Phawa Khola Mini Hydro Project, Mr. Amar Shrestha, Taplegunj

Click for photo feature:

  1. Day1: International Workshop on Best Practices and Business Opportunities for Energy Access Financing
  2. Day2: Investors Forum

Reports:

Day 1: Day 2