Second Africa-EU Renewable Energy Research & Innovation Symposium (RERIS)
With more than 600 million Africans living without access to electricity and over 730 million relying on dangerous, inefficient forms of cooking, fast
but sustainable development of African renewable energy markets is needed. Applied research and innovative business roll-outs play a key role in boosting this development, helping to secure energy supply in both rural and urban areas, increase generation capacities and energy system resilience.
To these ends, the National University of Lesotho will host the second Africa-EU Renewable Energy Research & Innovation Symposium (RERIS) from 23 to 26 January 2018. The symposium will take place on the occasion of the University’s International Science and Technology Innovation Conference and Expo (NULISTICE 2018), and is organised in close collaboration with the RECP, the Finnish University Partnership for International Development (UniPID), the Low Carbon Energy for Development Network (LCEDN), the Pan African University Institute of Water and Energy Sciences (PAUWES), and Microenergy International.
In March 2016, the RECP organised the first Africa-EU Renewable Energy Research and Innovation Symposium (RERIS 2016) in Tlemcen, Algeria. Attended by 135 participants from 30 countries, the symposium was a big step towards better research cooperation for renewable energy on and between the two continents. Based on the outcomes of the first symposium, RERIS 2018 sets out to facilitate Africa-EU renewable energy research collaboration; increase public and private sector participation in renewable energy research; and build capacities for applied research and promote university business spin-offs.
Until September 2017, researchers from Africa and Europe had the chance to submit abstracts; submissions are currently being evaluated by the conference team. The abstracts reflect the focus themes of the conference:
- grid connected renewable energy;
- de-centralised renewable and household energy solutions;
- energy socioeconomics (e.g. policy, economics, legal, regulatory and social issues);
- promotion of energy research, innovation, education and entrepreneurship.
Registration for the conference has now opened, For more, click nulistice: 
About the RECP
By catalysing the development of African renewable energy markets, the RECP contributes to:
- Promoting access to energy supporting sustainable economic growth and poverty eradication, within a sustainable development path.
- Developing value chains providing employment opportunities for men and women and business opportunities for African and European businesses.
- Enhancing energy security and mitigating the impacts of volatile fossil fuel prices.
- Climate change mitigation by substituting fossil fuels, and to climate change adaptation by enhanced energy value chain and energy system resilience.
RECP Objectives
The RECP focusses on meso-scale renewable energy investments, loosely defined as multi-million euro investments, related to all renewable energy resources employed. Meso-scale projects have substantial potential for increasing energy access and simultaneously provide local benefits. The RECP is based on an integrated approach of interlinked activities organised in four Action Areas geared towards enabling and triggering investment. Each Action Area is targeting a crucial factor for success of efficient markets.
Action Area 1 – Policy Advisory
Support the development of a policy and regulatory framework favourable to private investment.
Action Area 2 – Private Sector Cooperation
Facilitate African and European business cooperation for co-investment, exchange of expertise and technology and promote investment in Africa’s renewable energy markets.
Action Area 3 – Access to Finance
Support renewable energy projects to reach bankability, assisting valuable project ideas to develop into concrete investment opportunities.
Action Area 4 – Innovation and Skills Development
Support the development of technical capacities and business skills by creating an African-European network including research, education and private sector institutions.
This homepage has been developed to provide a dedicated access point for European and African renewable energy entrepreneurs and investors to our Action Area 2 & 3 activities, products and services.
