The Africa Clean Energy Technical Assistance Facility (ACE TAF)

Description

The Africa Clean Energy (ACE) Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) programme is a 4-year programme funded by the UK Government Department for International Development (DFID). The objective of the programme is to catalyse a market-based approach for private sector delivery of renewable energy electrification technologies, with a specific focus on high quality stand-alone solar systems. The ACE TAF is part of the broader ACE Business programme, consisting of the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) Renewable Energy and Adaptation to Climate Change Technologies Household Solar (REACT HS) funding windows and the quality standard workstream implemented by IFC Lighting Africa in five countries. This will lead to improved access to modern energy services for people and communities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with an emphasis on affordable access for poor people and marginalised groups. ACE Business consists of two components, implemented by different development partners, but designed to cooperate and collaborate closely. The two components are complemented by SHS quality standards work implemented by Lighting Africa in five of the 14 ACE countries. Component 1: ACE Technical Assistance Facility (TAF): This component is implemented by Coffey International Development. The objective of ACE TAF is to improve the enabling environment for private sector delivery of access to energy through stand-alone solar systems. The programme will be implemented through three pillars: 1. Enabling Environment: Assisting governments to put in place appropriate policies and regulations, supporting market development and improving quality standards to catalyse private sector delivery of stand-alone solar systems. 2. Knowledge Management: Generating and disseminating knowledge and evidence on the success factors for, and benefits of, private sector delivery of off-grid solar energy, including the application of learning. 3. Coordination: Promoting Collaboration between ACE Business Programme components, in particular with AECF Ltd and IFC’s Lighting Africa programme, and other relevant initiatives and programmes and encouraging other donors to contribute towards ACE objectives and activities. This includes managing the overall approach to Monitoring and Evaluation for all components of the ACE Business programme.

Location