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Off-Grid Electrification Policy & Regulatory Specialist

Tetra Tech International Development Services headquartered in Arlington, VA is implementing the Scaling Up Renewable Energy (SURE) project under contract with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The objective of this project is to assist USAID partner countries to promote installation of variable renewable energy (VRE). Tetra Tech is supporting technical activities focused on strategic energy planning, grid integration, smart incentives, competitive procurement, and renewable energy zones to bring economic, reliable, clean energy to scale.

 

On the African continent, rural areas are generally characterized by lack of electricity services mainly due to sparse settlements, low economic activities, and distance to existing grid as well as low population density. In the past, the policy focus has been on grid expansion for electrification of rural and urban areas, with an emphasis on increasing the national electricity grid coverage. Sixty percent of Africa’s population currently live in rural areas, but only about 5% of them have access to modern electricity services. To address these shortcomings, the African Union (AU) has undertaken to develop better-coordinated initiatives.

 

To support the AU efforts, SURE is seeking one or more short-term independent consultants to develop standard interconnection terms, compensation mechanisms for off-grid micro- and mini-grids as well as business and financing models that will form part of mini-grid policy for the African Union Committee’s Department of Infrastructure and Energy (AUC/DIE). AUC/DIE will provide these off-grid micro- and mini-grid analyses and tools to help facilitate AU Member States’ implementation and development of mini-grids to improve electricity access and improve rural productivity.

 

Position responsibilities:

-Conduct comparative analysis of existing compensation mechanisms of micro- and mini-grid operators in the event that the national grid is extended to their site; to encourage increased private sector investment in the micro- and mini-grid sector by providing certainty on off-grid investments once the grid is rolled out in their respective areas;

-Evaluate of existing key business and financing models, that can boost investment in small off-grid power generation plants (solar, hydro, bioenergy, hybrid, etc.) and small power distribution;

-Recommend micro- and mini-grid tariff regulation policies that best meet government stakeholders’ national strategies

-Catalogue and publish publicly available tariff calculation tools on a single website;

-Analyze existing interconnection terms if available and recommending appropriate interconnection terms to be applied if the national grid encroaches upon an off-grid mini-grid site;

-Facilitate stakeholder validation workshop organized in collaboration with the AUC/DIE on mini-grids arising from the work done by the consultants;

-The consultant is expected to organize and participate in eight trips to at least five countries across North, West, East, and southern Africa to meet with and interview government and private sector stakeholders.

 

Essential KSA’s required (experience, skills, education, certification, etc.):

-Master’s degree in relevant academic studies to the responsibilities enumerated above

-10 years of solid experience in planning and / or management of energy programs

-5 years’ experience working in Africa at a national and regional level

-Demonstrable experience in setting up energy policies and strategies in African countries at the regional level

-Strong experience in off-grid, mini-grids and rural energy services.

-Proficient in either English or French with working knowledge of the other language being desirable

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