Consultancy: Access to Energy Assessments in Refugee Camps and Surrounding Host Communities – Jijiga, Ethiopia 197 views0 applications

Background:

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now and for the future.

Mercy Corps Ethiopia exists to alleviate suffering and poverty by helping people build secure, productive, and sustainable livelihoods. Since 2004, we have worked in rural, peri-urban and urban areas in five regional states – Somali, Oromia, Afar, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples, Amahara, and the capital city of Addis Ababa. Our mission is to foster populations that are financially stable, healthy and nourished, and educated and informed, within a context where natural resources are accessed, shared and utilized sustainably, so people can lead productive livelihoods. Driven by local needs, our programs provide individuals, agencies, and businesses with the tools and support they need to transform their lives, businesses, and communities. Our partners include government, academic institutions, development and private sector actors, civil societies and participating public. We strive to strengthen all of these institutions in the hopes that one day they become self-reliant.

Powering infrastructure in relief settings, where clinics, offices, communications towers, water pumping stations and other necessary services are commonly fueled by diesel generators, represents a substantial economic burden for humanitarian agencies & for the businesses and households located in refugee settlements and host communities. The expansion of off-grid electricity services above household scale in humanitarian settings is limited by a lack of reliable ‘anchor’ customers upon which bankable business models can be based. The application of renewable energy in the humanitarian sector is hampered by the initial higher upfront cost of solar and other renewable installations compared with diesel generators, and the perception that any investments must be short-term due to the outdated nature of humanitarian response funding cycles. Our study will inform the development of a new scalable, replicable model for integrated electrification that would improve operational sustainability for humanitarian organizations in Jijiga (Somali Region) while enabling better service delivery for people living in refugee settlements and host communities.

Purpose / Project Description:

Mercy Corps is commissioning two assessments, individuals and organizations can submit a bid for

1. Assessment 1
2. Assessment 2
3. Assessment 1 + Assessment 2. If choosing to submit a bid for both assessment, their proposal will clearly demonstrate how the proposed timeline will be maintained – including subcontracting options.

Assessment 1: Load analysis and regulatory framework on electrification, including microgrids and independent power producers:

Considering the current regulatory framework around electrification, conduct a detailed technical assessment in Aw-barre, Sheder, Kebribeyah Refugee Camps, and the surrounding host communities.

Assessment 2: High-level scan of national energy situation in camps with a focus on household energy survey (inclusive of energy use and cooking practices) in Jijiga

Consultant Objectives:

Assessment 1:

1. Map and analyze the current national regulatory framework on electrification in Ethiopia
2. Determine the current and projected load for the following potential customers, including considerations around the distance from the national grid for the three camps:
3. NGOs and UN Agencies (anchor customers)
4. Productive uses within the camps and aspirational use of electricity (information on current productive activities could also be retrieved from Mercy Corps’ ongoing programming); whenever possible, the data should be collected in a way that could inform the ESMAP Multi-tier Matrix for Measuring Access to Productive Applications of Energy
5. Institutions in the camps and host communities (e.g. schools, clinics, administrative services), in an overall ratio of 70:30 (refugee camp:host community); whenever possible, the data should be collected according to the ESMAP Multi-tier Matrix for Measuring Access in Community Infrastructure and the Multi-tier Matrix for Access to Street Lighting
6. Potential for connections for the households in the refugee camps, with market segmentation to identify different levels of willingness and ability to pay for energy services and Off-grid Solar (OGS) products

Assessment 2:

1. Conduct a high-level scan of overall energy situation in all the major camps in Ethiopia, as background information to future decision-making about other potentially viable areas and to collect lessons learnt from other access to energy initiatives. This will include secondary data review and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with relevant stakeholders (including, but not limited to UNHCR, GoE, Utility, NGOs)
2. Map existing cooking practices (communal kitchens and at the household level) and possible alternatives. This will consider health (based on indoor air pollution, when third-party reports are available), convenience (based on fuel collection time and stove preparation time), safety, affordability (including expenditure on cookstove and fuel), efficiency, quality, and availability. The data collected should contribute to the ESMAP multi-level framework for household access to energy for cooking.
3. Map the current household-level energy use for lighting and powering and the aspirational use through quality energy provision, including certified Solar Home Systems
4. Map the current use of financing options for energy (lighting, powering, cooking)

Consultant Activities:

Assessment 1:

Specific activities for Assessment 1 will include:

• Collecting all available site surveys, distribution and master electrification plans, government and utility electrification planning documents, maps and planning documents (UN OCHA, UNHCR)
• Document regulations relating to microgrid development and independent power producers
• Meeting with the settlement and host community leaders for KIIs to confirm data and information collected, such as the number and types of businesses, and also confirm density of the buildings and building types
• Visiting a representative sample of businesses (quantitative data ) and an illustrative number of households (qualitative data) to estimate current and aspirational energy demand & expenditures
• Taking photos for reference and decision making
• Recording GPS coordinates of important installations such as schools, health centre and business centre
• Confirming availability of mobile network coverage
• Checking physical features and topography of the settlement such as soil type, rivers, hills and roads
• Checking layout of the settlement & host communities
• Visiting institutions such as schools and health centres to check their energy needs
• Recording routes and roads using a tracking app

Assessment 2:

Specific activities for Assessment 2 will include:

• Determine sampling methodology and timeline
• Train enumerators
• Collecting and analysing existing secondary data sources on energy access (lighting, powering, cooking) for all major camps, with a specific focus on JIjiga
• Conducting KIIs with relevant stakeholders to triangulate information collected
• Mapping all the relevant existing providers for energy-certified products (lighting, powering, cooking), with a specific focus on Jijiga
• Conducting KIIs and Focus Group Discussions in Jijiga to confirm data and information collected, such as the number and types of businesses, and also confirm density of the buildings and building types.
• Collecting qualitative and quantitative data to determine aspirational use of energy (lighting, powering, cooking) for businesses and households
• Mapping the financial services available in Jijiga, with a specific focus on solar products and clean cooking
• Confirming availability of mobile network coverage and current use in the households

Consultant Deliverables:

The Consultant will deliver:

Assessment 1:

1. A detailed technical analysis of:
2. national regulatory framework on electricity, inclusive of rules on imports, microgrids and IPPs
3. diesel generator operational costs for the site(s) visited and loads for the four highlighted categories of potential customers
4. current daily load curve, with electricity generation, consumption and cost, safety and operational limitations within selected geographic areas
5. current state of diesel generator (fuel storage system, general condition of engine and generator, electrical output measurement (power and quality), safety inspection, fuel to electricity efficiency
6. current state of grid service where available
7. evaluation of local technical and logistic capabilities, including mobile phone coverage
8. local skills and infrastructure around the refugee sites (sources of diesel fuel, local battery availability (professional solar and other options) and local ground works (foundations for solar PV array)
9. calculation of solar resource
10. potential mini-grid sites within settlements, with ranking
11. technical and commercial aspects of high potential sites. This will include operator and user requirements.
12. DC devices (if applicable) – including costs and supplier options.
13. 2-day restitution and co-solutioning workshop in Addis Ababa (week of November 18-24, 2019)

Assessment 2:

1. A report (max 40 pages, excluded annexes) including:
2. High-level scan of energy situation in the major camps in Ethiopia, based on secondary data analysis and Key Informant Interviews
3. Map of existing providers of Lighting Global-certified Solar Home Systems and third-party certified cookstoves available in the country, based on secondary data analysis and Key Informant Interviews
4. Mapping of formal and informal financing available for refugees and host community members for solar (specifically, Solar Home Systems) and clean cooking, based on secondary data analysis and Key Informant Interviews
5. A general report on energy services options for refugees and host communities, based on secondary data analysis and Key Informant Interviews
6. An analysis of the current cooking practices and potential alternative options in Jijiga, based on household level interviews and Key Informant Interviews
7. An analysis of the current energy use (lighting, powering) for households in Jijiga, based on household level interviews and Key Informant Interviews

2-day restitution and co-solutioning workshop in Addis Ababa (week of November 18-24, 2019)

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Assessment 1:

• Demonstrated five (5) years experience in renewable energy sector with at least three (3) years experience with mini-grid sizing, business case development, and/or installation
• Technical competence of current staff of applicant to conduct site assessments
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with stakeholders across multiple organizations
• Ability to work on site in Aw-barre, Sheder, and Kebribeyah Refugee Camps, and the surrounding host communities
• Demonstrated previous experience in similar studies

Assessment 2:

• Demonstrated previous experience in conducting secondary data review and remote/in-person KIIs on access to energy
• Demonstrated previous experience in conducting energy (lighting, powering and cooking) assessments
• Demonstrated previous experience in conducting actors-mapping

We invite interested individuals to submit the following:

• A Motivation Letter addressing the Terms of Reference
• A list of previous relatable work
• A workplan
• A financial offer

We invited interested organizations or companies to submit the following:

• A Motivation Letter addressing the Terms of Reference
• Organization’s Profile
• Copies of legal registration documents
• Copies of tax clearance from the governing tax authority
• Copies of documents showing a minimum of 2 years of experience and short description of earlier relevant assignments
• A workplan
• A financial offer

Timeframe / Schedule:

Remote work: 30 September 2019 – 27 October 2019

Field activities: 29 October 2019 – 24 November 2019 (inclusive of the workshop in Addis Ababa during the week of November 18-24, 2019)

Report: 25 November 2019 – 31 December 2019

The Consultant will report to:

Senior Advisor Humanitarian Partnerships – Energy Access

The Consultant will work closely with:

Environment Team – Technical Support Unit

Mercy Corps Ethiopia Country Team

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