Programme for Basic Energy and Conservation

Contact Information
Email: 
erika.schutze@gtz.de
Business phone: 
27113396633
Project Information
Country: 
South Africa
Organization (running the project): 
GIZ PSDA
Project image: 
Duration: 
Jan 2004 - Dec 2010
Goals: 
The ProBEC (Programme for Basic Energy and Conservation) is a Southern African Development Community (SADC) project implemented by the German Agency for Technical Co-operation (GTZ). It is the only SADC project that focuses on energy security and supply for low-income households. The anchor funder for ProBEC is the German government, with a growing consortium of international co-operating partners supporting the programme. ProBEC aims to ensure that low-income population groups satisfy their energy requirements in a socially and environmentally sustainable manner. It targets thermal energy needs of rural and urban households, as well as small business and institutions using biomass energy (woodfuel, agricultural residues) for thermal processes. Interventions focus on the demand side and include the use of energy efficient devices, profitable production and marketing of these devices, efficient woodfuel use and kitchen management, and substitution with renewable energy sources. ProBEC is currently active in Lesotho; Malawi; Mozambique; Tanzania; South Africa; Zambia, Swaziland, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo. There are three components to ProBEC interventions: • efficient use of energy devices, • giving policy advice, • research into biofuel.
Background: 
Biomass is the primary source of basic energy for up to 80% of total energy consumption for families and small businesses in most southern African countries, hence it is of paramount importance that the available energy is being used in an environmentally sound and socially responsible way to minimise deforestation, improve indoor air quality and alleviate poverty. ProBEC employs different strategies to achieve its objectives: • Up-scaling of energy efficient stoves through two approaches, namely an approach focused on market development for commercial players and appliances as well as a developmental approach, still based on a commercial orientation but focused on non-commercial appliances such as mud-stoves and artisanal production methods such as stove producer groups. • Increase knowledge and awareness regarding energy efficient behaviour which can increase savings achieved through improved appliances with as much as 20%. • Facilitation of the provision of sustainable supply of biomass energy • Development of markets for alternative fuels • Capacity building of SADC and national governments with regard to biomass energy.
Expected Outcome: 
The results of ProBEC interventions undertaken thus far have shown that with a comprehensive package of solutions, it is feasible to attain multiple, long-lasting, environmental, economic, and social benefits. Families and small businesses benefit financially from savings, health is improved through minimised indoor air pollution, nationally there are savings of foreign exchange for energy imports, and globally, the use of biofuels instead of fossil fuels, reduces net emissions of greenhouse gases, as well as optimising timber and non-timber forest products. For the current phase (until end 2009), ProBEC committed to reach specific targets: 1. Sales of efficient cooking technologies will reach 125,000 units; 2. Five SADC member states apply for and develop a biomass energy strategy; 3. Three of the five countries that have drafted a biomass energy strategy (BEST) are developing relevant operational plans; 4. Fifty per cent of the women involved in the programme increase their disposable income through the effective use of efficient technologies by 10%; 5. Ninety per cent of users conserve biomass by applying efficient cooking technologies; 6. Fifty per cent of users save at least 50% biomass thanks to proper application of technologies; 7. The production of efficient cooking technologies makes a business profit. The male and female entrepreneurs increase their income by 30% through stove production.
Status: 
ProBEC comes to a close in December 2010 and has devised a programme exit strategy for its final project phase (May 2008 – December 2010). The programme exit strategy has to build on the foundation laid by ProBEC’s work over the past 10 years, ensure continued activities around biomass energy related issues and overall, continue to highlight poor people’s energy needs and requirements. ProBEC is committed to reach its programme goals, while in parallel, implement an appropriate programme exit strategy to ensure sustainability after the end of the programme in 2010. The proposed exit strategy consists of seven elements, each varying in complexity and level of implementation. Each also represents a separate work package: • Creating sustainable local structures, in which current ProBEC activities are embedded • Obtaining Government buy-in to the future of Basic Energy Conservation in their countries • Ensuring continuity in the work on bio-fuels, especially development of sustainability principles for SADC • Implementing a carbon entity based on the model of programmatic CDM. • Operationalising the SeTAR Centre ‘hub-and-spoke’ relationships with regional universities • Establishing a ‘basket fund’ at SADC to absorb new and unspent funds for future Basic Energy Conservation activities • Creating opportunity for bilateral donors to fund bilaterally country programmes implementing ProBEC’s activities Two specific aspects, namely the establishment of a pool or basket fund to support future biomass energy projects in member states and the establishment of a Carbon Facility to generate an income from carbon saved through ProBEC interventions, require further refinement and will be the subject of a workshop with government partners and donors in December 2009.