RIFE International CEO Kwabena Osei-Sarpong spoke at the United States Trade and Development Agency-funded (USTDA) Chief Environmental and Social Performance (CESP) Workshop in Cotonou, Benin at the Azalaï Hôtel de la Plage on July 27, 2018.
The Workshop was titled Standards & Technology to Support Benin’s Energy Backbone: Energy Storage and Energy Efficiency.
Osei-Sarpong’s session examined the commercial and industrial application of energy efficiency. He described the current situation of the energy efficiency market in Africa, highlighting how and where commercial and industrial buildings use energy the most. He went on to elaborate on the various stages in achieving energy efficiency, from energy audits through implementation of saving measures, and the energy conservation measures (ECM’s) that are currently applicable in Africa.
Other topics of interest at the Workshop were discussed by other experts in private- and government-sector organizations. Topics included building Africa’s future grid, energy storage, challenges and strategies with integrating renewable energy into the grid, and energy-efficient solutions for residential customers.
Osei-Sarpong’s session was followed by a Q&A forum that assisted in developing the audience’s understanding and knowledge of the opportunities for savings in energy efficiency. The audience was very receptive to the energy efficiency opportunities and inquired how they could access these solutions and financing for retrofits.
The Workshop was part of the U.S.-Africa Clean Energy Standards Program, which was sponsored by the USTDA and coordinated by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in partnership with Power Africa.
Overall, the Workshop presented a better understanding of the energy market in Africa, specifically Benin. It highlighted the challenges of the energy sector and potential solutions to improve Africa’s industrial and commercial sectors.
The workshop gave RIFE the opportunity to establish contacts with Benin companies in the renewable and energy efficiency industries. It also strengthened current relationships with the USTDA, Millennium Challenge Corporation, and ANSI.
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