SPC-IRENA Joint Training on Energy Data and Policy Mechanisms to Support Implementation of
Renewable Energy Targets
DRAFT PROGRAMME AGENDA
11 – 15 AUGUST | SUVA, FIJI
Introduction
As part of IRENA Capacity Building and Statistics activities and SPC’s Energy Database works, and in the
spirit of the MoU signed by the two agencies in 2012, SPC and IRENA are partnering to conduct a training
which aims to respond to high priority needs voiced by their common members from the Pacific Small
Island Developing States (SIDS), namely:
A- Energy data and information: Energy data remains a critical element for the sound design of energy
plans, targets, cost-based strategies and for monitoring and evaluating policies and progress in achieving
energy sector aspirations.
For renewable energy, the need for a comprehensive approach to mainstream efforts on data collection and
dissemination is critical. This is particularly due to the distributed nature of renewable energy generation
combined with the relatively small size of renewable energy systems, thus increasing the uncertainty of
data. In fact, in many cases, the growth of renewable energy is not accurately captured in energy statistics.
Even when multiple data sources exist and a number of actors have engaged in data collection, there are
often significant problems relating to data sources quality, consistency and comparability. Often, basic data
is lacking at a national level, even though information from numerous existing projects and initiatives could
be consolidated to develop a more comprehensive picture of renewable energy within the country.
Additionally, the data that is available is not properly tracked and systematized.
In response to these gaps, in 2013, the Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) witnessed a critical
landmark as the Pacific leaders signed an agreement to address a key constraint to the achievement of the
three goals of the SE4ALL Initiative, by way of establishing a Pacific Regional Data Repository (PRDR)
for SE4ALL. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community, is leading the regional efforts to develop the
PRDR.
B- Renewable energy targets and policy mechanisms for implementation: Despite the political
commitment of the Pacific Islands to accelerate the deployment of renewables, Table 2 indicates 1 several
gaps in the support schemes and incentives necessary to accelerate implementation. However, efforts are at
speed in the region to address specific needs related to designing policy mechanisms to support the
increasing uptake of renewables while preserving affordability and sustainability.
Currently, 10 out of 11 islands (considering only IRENA Members) have set renewable energy targets, and
they demonstrate various levels of progress. Development aid has been the source of financing for
renewable energy projects in the majority of the islands. However, as the cost of diesel continues to
increase and renewable technologies maintain their declining cost curve, the business case for renewables
becomes increasingly compelling. To provide a level-playing field, support mechanisms will be needed. An
IRENA survey - developed to provide the basis for the design of this training – indicated that 7 out of 11
islands and 6 out of 11 islands are considering FiT and net metering, respectively. These islands require
targeted assistance, however many share similar challenges, such as identifying the “optimum target” and
supporting policies that would “decrease” the tariff, assessing the effect of net metering on utility income
and on quality of power as well as undertake a cost-benefit analysis of various procurement policies.
1
Showing only IRENA Members and Signatories as of 17 June 2014.
Table 1: Overview of renewable energy policy mechanisms in the Pacific SIDS (showing only IRENA Members). 2
The training will build on existing efforts and will focus on the following main issues:
- Introduce the PRDR, its features and receive feedback from participants
- Discuss in details the processes involved in defining, collecting and disseminating data with focus on
data collection methods for the PRDR
- How to utilize data to design sound renewable energy targets and the impact of data quality on targets?
- What are the best practices and pros and cons of utility-led renewable energy projects?
- How to design net metering and FiT schemes given the unique islands’ context?
- How to negotiate power purchase agreements?
Target audience
The PRDR focal points energy planners from relevant ministries; senior technical officials from power
utilities; senior technical officials from regulatory bodies.
Learning outcomes
1- Understand processes involved in defining, collecting and disseminating data in relation to the PRDR.
2- Identify the most appropriate collection method to meet the country objectives and desired applications
of data for the PRDR.
3- Gain confidence in using the PRDR professionally and understand the functionality of all its features.
4- Understand what data is needed for the design of the renewable energy target and the impact of data
quality on the design of targets.
5- Understand the methodology for setting a renewable energy target and the pre-requisites needed to
design the target.
6- Understand how to identify the appropriate, cost-effective support mechanism(s) to implement the
renewable energy target and fulfil the national objective.
7- Realize the best practices of deploying various relevant support mechanisms and relate to how they
could be adapted to fit the islands’ context.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS
SPC: SPC is an intergovernmental organisation that provides technical, policy advice and assistance to its
Member Countries. It is the lead regional agency on energy in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories
and has been tasked with developing and hosting the Pacific Regional Data Repository (PRDR) in its first 12
months.
IRENA: The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is an inter-governmental organisation,
mandated by Member States around the world to promote the widespread and increased adoption, and
sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy. This concerns all forms of energy produced from
renewable sources in a sustainable manner, which include bioenergy, geothermal energy, hydropower,
ocean, solar, and wind energy. The Agency facilitates and catalyses sharing of best practices and lessons
learned regarding policy frameworks, capacity-building, available finance mechanisms and relevant
technologies on renewable energy.
2
Info based on a survey circulated by IRENA in May 2014 to energy stakeholders.
Page 2 of 5
DRAFT PROGRAMME AGENDA
Training Topic
Designated expert(s)
Day 1 - 11 August 2014
9:00 – 09:30
09:30 – 10:00
Registration
1.0 Welcome Session
Introduction to SPC and IRENA
Introduction to the training programme and its objectives
10:00 – 10:30
10:30 – 11:45
11:45 – 12:30
SPC and IRENA
Coffee break
2.0 Introduction to trainees: Presentations by trainees including 3
slide on:
Challenges and expected learning outcomes for energy data
collection and dissemination.
3.0 Introduction to the PRDR SE4ALL initiative:
Introduction to the Pacific Regional Data Repository for SE4ALL
Trainees
SPC
Discussion and Q&A
12:30 – 13:30
13:30 – 15:00
15:00 – 15:30
15:30 – 17:00
Lunch break
3.1 Practical demonstration session:
Demonstration of the PRDR portal and its features
a. Current status of the PRDR SE4ALL Portal
b. Populating the portal
c. Portal features: (one-stop-shop, report uploading, data
inputting, tables and graphs analysis, importing and
exporting data, populating matrices, etc)
Discussion and Q&A
Coffee break
4.0 Technical session I:
Overview of key processes involved in defining, collecting and
disseminating data in relation to the PRDR
a. Defining data needs based on scope and priorities of the
Pacific Islands (renewable energy targets, project
investment, etc)
b. Conducting a data audit to identify reporting gaps
c. Identifying appropriate data collection and analysis
methods based on needs and resource availability
d. Creating mechanisms for review, validation and
dissemination of data
e. PRDR SE4ALL Data agreement
Discussion and Q&A
SPC
IRENA
Day 2 - 12 August 2014
9:00 – 10:30
10:30 – 11:00
11:00 – 12:15
12:15 – 13:30
4.0 Technical session I (Cont’d.):
Overview of key processes involved in defining, collecting and
disseminating data in relation to the PRDR
f. Defining data needs based on scope and priorities of the
Pacific Islands (renewable energy targets, project
investment, etc)
g. Conducting a data audit to identify reporting gaps
h. Identifying appropriate data collection and analysis
methods based on needs and resource availability
i. Creating mechanisms for review, validation and
dissemination of data
Discussion and Q&A
Coffee break
4.1 Practical session:
Participants’ feedback on questions and exercises related to
technical session.
Lunch break
Page 3 of 5
IRENA
SPC and IRENA
Training Topic
13:30 – 15:000
15:00 – 15:30
15:30 – 16:30
5.0 Technical session II:
Linkages of the PRDR SE4ALL to indicators and target setting
a. FAESP Energy Security Indicators
b. Utilities benchmarking
c. Regional Project Targets – North Rep.
Discussion and Q&A
Coffee break
5.1 Round table discussion:
Identification of capacity building needs to support the Pacific
Islands implement the PRDR
a. Institutional capacity needs: developing an institutional
framework
b. Human resource capacity needs: skills and knowledge
needs to design training programmes
c. Technical capacity needs: trainings on data management
platforms
Designated expert(s)
SPC
SPC and IRENA
Day 3 - 13 August 2014
9:00 – 10:30
10:30 – 11:00
11:00 – 13:00
13:00 – 14:00
14:00 – 16:00
6.0 Technical session III:
Setting renewable energy targets I
a. Objectives of renewable energy targets
b. Overview of renewable energy target typology
c. Best practices vs common practices in designing targets
d. Methodology for setting a target
Coffee break
6.1 Practical session with case studies:
Setting renewable energy targets II – lessons learned from the Cape
Verde, Cook Islands, Reunion Island, Samsø Island,
10:30 – 11:00
11:00 – 13:00
IRENA
Lunch break
6.2 Practical exercise:
Country 1 slide presentation on challenges of renewable energy
target design and implementation including monitoring.
How to utilize data to design and monitor renewable energy
targets?
Day 4 – 14 August 2014
6.3 Country presentations (1 slide) on challenges in designing and
implementing net metering, FiT and utility-led models to procure
renewable energy
9:00 – 10:30
IRENA
SPC and IRENA
Participants
6.4 Overview of options for deploying renewable energy in the
Pacific Islands:
Utility-led models for renewable energy deployment
Net metering for the Pacific Islands
Feed-in tariff for the Pacific Islands
Coffee break
IRENA
6.5 Case studies:
Sharing experience of Cook Islands for FiT and net metering
scheme.
IRENA
7.0 Technical session IV:
Utility-led renewable energy models
a. What are the best practices for utility led renewable
energy projects?
b. What are the options for contractual arrangements for
utilities? (i.e., BOO, BOOT, BOT, etc)
c. What are the challenges facing utilities and preventing
them from implementing the best practices: lack of human
capacity, lack of government support, etc
d. Pros and cons of the utility led models
Net metering design for Island regions
Page 4 of 5
Case study: The Cook
Islands Participants
Training Topic
Designated expert(s)
a.
-
13:00-14:00
How to design net metering for islands? Differences and
Parallels with mainland regions
b. How to determine the appropriate buy-back rate for power
(tariff), given the high generation cost due to high diesel
prices? Examples for island regions
c. How to assess the cost impact on utilities of implementing
a net metering policy (i.e., revenue impact, cost savings,
etc)? Examples from island regions
Feed-in tariff design for Island regions
a. How to design micro-FIT programs for island regions?
b. How to determine the appropriate FIT rate?
c. How to assess the cost impact on utilities (i.e. PPA
obligation, offsetting diesel consumption; cost savings?)
d. How to allocate cost savings: back to ratepayers, to the
government, or to the utility?
Lunch break
Technical session IV (Cont’d.)
IRENA
14:00 – 15:00
15:00 – 15:15
15:15 – 17:00
7.1 Case studies:
Sharing experience of Palau in setting net-metering scheme.
Experience and lessons learned from Cayman Islands, Hawaii and
Philippines
Coffee Break
7.2 Practical exercise:
How to design a net metering scheme for a certain Island to enable
procuring XMW of solar PV within X no of years? How to assess
the impact of policy of choice on end user affordability and cost
stability of power utility?
Case study: Palau
Participants
Participants
Day 5 – 15 August 2014
9:00 – 10:30
10:30 – 11:00
11:00 – 13:00
13:00 – 14:00
14:00 – 15:30
15:30 – 15:45
15:45–17:00
7.3 Technical session:
Key requirements for successful PPA design
How to de-risk PPAs in island regions?
Bilateral PPAs vs. Open tenders vs. Standard Offer Contracts vs.
Utility-owned systems: How should island countries best procure
RE projects to meet their targets?
Coffee break
7.4 Case study presentation
- Experience of PPA design and negotiation from the Pacific Islands:
(TBC) Fiji, Samoa and.
- Discussion and Q&A
Lunch break
7.5 Practical exercise:
Financial Model Exercise: How to utilize data to calculate
appropriate tariffs for IPPs?
SAM Model: https://sam.nrel.gov/
Coffee Break
9.0 Round table discussion:
Identification of capacity building needs to support countries in
implementing their renewable energy targets
Closing Dinner
ADJOURNMENT
Page 5 of 5
IRENA
Participants
SPC and IRENA
SPC and IRENA