Swazi Observer

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GERMANY PARTNERSHIP POWERS UP ESWATINI'S RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTOR

By Nomfanelo Maziya | 2024-11-21

A successful two-and-a-half-year collaboration between the European Union (EU) and Germany has significantly boosted Eswatini's renewable energy market.

The joint initiative, GET.invest Eswatini, co-funded by the European Union (EU) and Germany, and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, concluded in October, has left a lasting impact on the country's energy future.

The country window, which started in April, 2022 and was officially launched in October, 2022, built on the services of the broader GET.invest programme and tailored them to Eswatini’s context to bolster the country's renewable energy sector.

GET.invest Eswatini significantly strengthened Eswatini’s renewable energy market and mobilised substantial investments.

During its 30-month run, GET.invest Eswatini provided critical support to local renewable energy stakeholders, including private sector companies, project developers, business associations and financing institutions.

Local companies, including Usutu Forest Products, were accepted for financial intake from financing institutions.

These projects have a projected investment volume of E489 million (EUR 26 million) and were expected to avoid at least 48 500 tons of CO2 per year.

Through targeted matchmaking efforts, GET.invest Eswatini facilitated over 40 connections between developers and financiers, further driving investments and development in the renewable energy sector.

The programme also played a pivotal role in organising the first three editions of the EU Green Power Transformation Forum, Eswatini’s main event for bringing together renewable energy stakeholders.

In his opening remarks during the third edition of the EU Green Power Transformation Forum, the new EU Ambassador Designate to the Kingdom of Eswatini, Karsten Mecklenburg, said, “We believe that it is our collective duty to make the green power transition in Eswatini a process that contributes to the energy security and sovereignty of the country, while also delivering on a sustainable and inclusive economic growth, and more and better jobs, especially for the youth.”

On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Head of Cooperation of the German Embassy to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, Fabian Kyrieleis, stressed the importance of “effective collaboration between the public and private sectors, breaking down silos and pursuing integrated solutions if we are to make meaningful progress towards achieving Eswatini’s energy and climate goals”.

In addition to events, GET.invest Eswatini focused on technical advisory by organising training sessions for project developers and financial institutions.

Together with its donors, GET.invest has established a series of country windows that allow the programme to tailor the key services of GET.invest the needs of each national context and to it’s specific market segments.

GET.invest Eswatini worked closely with local stakeholders, especially Business Eswatini (BE) and the Renewable Energy Association of Eswatini (REAESWA).

This collaboration allowed GET.invest to benefit from their local knowledge and network. On the other hand, GET.invest enabled the participation of selected members of BE and REAESWA in international sector events and helped strengthen local leadership in the renewable energy space.
It also supported the creation of a developer guide, a crucial reference for new entrants exploring the Small-Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) market in Eswatini.

The Developer Guide can be downloaded free of charge on the BE website. Despite the end of dedicated in-country activities, the GET.invest services will remain available to companies and project developers in Eswatini through its broader programme.

GET.invest Eswatini is part of the global programme, co-funded by the European Union, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Austria, and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

It has built on services of the broader GET.invest programme tailored them in the Swazi context.
GET.invest Eswatini thanks the European Union, Germany, Business Eswatini and REAESWA for their continuous support and strong collaboration in addressing the country’s renewable energy goals.

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