Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA), the multi-donor clean energy funding facility is seeking expressions of interest (EOI) in Uganda to provide training courses for professionals in the off-grid energy sector. The EOI for training in the decentralized renewable energy sector was declared last month and the interested companies or organizations have the time to apply until January 27, 2022.
The facility manager for BGFA, Nefco, has launched the contract to appoint a qualified organization or a consortium of organizations as the consultant for BGFA’s training program in Uganda. The consultant will be required to develop the technical, commercial, and business skills of participants within the areas of solar home systems and mini-grids.
The training will be organized in two modules; the first module will focus on solar home systems, including the installation and maintenance of these stand-alone systems, as well as their business and sales skills. The second module will be dedicated to technical training for the development of the green mini-grid segment.
The training program is expected to start in the second quarter of this year, with the duration between 18 and 24 months. According to BGFA, “Courses may differ in terms of duration and expertise required, and should be tailored to the needs of each energy service provider or other participating entity.”
The ultimate goal of this training course is to support the creation of local jobs, particularly women’s involvement within the country’s off-grid energy sector. The training accounts for a budget of €600,000 (excluding VAT).
The training is offered under the BGFA’s third call for proposals (BGFA3). This initiative of BGFA aims to electrify about 3 million rural populations in Uganda through new off-grid connections. Nefco plans to sign contracts with 11 Energy Service Providers (ESPs) offering decentralized renewable energy services in Uganda, which will receive results-based financing from the BGFA for accelerating the off-grid energy services.
