Regional Model Analysis and Planning Programme
Long-term energy planning support
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IRENA provides regional training workshops on best practices in energy planning and grid integration of variable renewables using energy modelling tools. Programmes include:
Regional training workshops on energy planning have been held in Africa to support energy system planning in the region through the use of power system tools.
IRENA and the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) have organised a training programme to introduce SPLAT-W – the System Planning Test model for the West African power system.
The trainings aimed to build and enhance capacity for long-term energy planning in ten countries in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. The participants were experts from the energy planning offices at ministries, electric utilities and specialised agencies in those countries.
Phase 1 (December 2020 – October 2021):
Together with the Central African Power Pool (CAPP), IRENA has implemented a capacity building programme that has delivered over 160 hours of practical training and insights to key staff of national energy institutions in the Central Africa region on how to develop model-based national generation capacity expansion scenarios.
The trainings aimed to build and enhance capacity for long-term energy planning in seven countries of the CAPP that were able to participate: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, and Rwanda.
For more details on the Programme, including full agenda and materials, please see:
- Full programme summary report (English) (French)
- IRENA Regional Model Analysis & Planning Support Programme: Central Africa
- IRENA Regional Model Analysis & Planning Support Programme: Central Africa Training 1
- IRENA Regional Model Analysis & Planning Support Programme: Central Africa Training 2
- IRENA Regional Model Analysis & Planning Support Programme: Central Africa Final presentation session
Phase 2 (September 2022 – July 2023):
This second phase of the programme expands upon the training of CAPP members on long-term power sector modelling, with a focus on regional application. The training includes participation of around 70 national ministry and utility planning experts from all 11 regional countries, and consists of over 65 hours or practical training. As part of the programme, a consolidated regional study will also be developed, which may be used as the basis for the region’s first power sector masterplan.
The implementation of the programme is integrated with the ongoing development of the African Continental Power Systems Master Plan (CMP), which is led by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA) and which IRENA is supporting as a modelling partner.
For more details on the phase 2 events, please see:
- Full programme summary report (English) (French)
- IRENA Regional Model Analysis & Planning Support Programme: Central Africa Phase 2
- IRENA Regional Model Analysis & Planning Support Programme: Central Africa Phase 2: Workshop 1
- IRENA Regional Model Analysis & Planning Support Programme: Central Africa Phase 2: Workshop 2
- IRENA Regional Model Analysis & Planning Support Programme: Central Africa Phase 2: Close
Regional trainings are typically based on IRENA’s System Planning Tool (SPLAT) model, which is regularly updated for Africa’s five regional power pools.
In addition to regional workshops for capacity building, IRENA also conducts regional planning workshops focusing on integration of high VRE shares. Learn more about these workshops under AVRIL project.
