Regional Centre for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency

Project description

Title: Regional Centre for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE)
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Egypt
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy (MoRE), New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA)
Overall term: 2014 to 2017

Context

Renewable energies and energy efficiency are key topics for the energy policies of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Safeguarding a sustainable energy supply is a special challenge common to all the countries of this region. Until now, however, each country has attempted to solve the related problems on its own, as no joint platform existed. Against this background, GIZ established the Regional Center for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) in Cairo.

Objective

Through the efforts of RCREEE the share of renewable energies has increased significantly throughout the MENA region, while energy use has become more efficient.

Approach

The programme supports the structural organisation and institutional capacity of RCREEE. This involves, for example, developing a business plan that uses commercial strategies and drafting internal policies and work plans.

RCREEE’s management structure consists of a Supervisory Board and an Executive Committee, with the Center’s member states all represented on the Supervisory Board. These are: Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen. Business operations are managed by a secretariat headed by an Arab director.

RCREEE initiates regional policy dialogues and promotes strategies and partnerships to facilitate the spread of renewable energies and efficient energy use throughout the member states. It also implements training measures, workshops and knowledge exchanges within the region (South-South) and outside the region (South-North).

Additional activities are designed to encourage private investors to become involved in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Furthermore, RCREE provides reliable facts and figures on energy. This promotes greater transparency while also revealing the progress made by the member states in this field.

Results

RCREEE is a regional institution and has achieved recognition as such, both within the region and beyond it. The member states pledged to provide a significant proportion of the financing for RCREEE starting in 2014.

Some of RCREEE’s successes include the eight national energy efficiency action plans introduced in the member states with its support. At the same time, the Center is supporting the implementation of the Arab Energy Efficiency Directive, which paves the way for these action plans, and it is working to develop a certification system for solar water heaters.

RCREEE is in high demand as a cooperation partner for international organisations that run regional activities related to renewable energies and energy efficiency.

Additional information