KIGALI, RWANDA. The Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) is continuing weekly capacity-building sessions and resource assessment activities with staff of the Rwanda Energy Group (REG) and the Rwanda Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) as part of the Resource Study for Electricity Generation Sources project, launched in May of this year, under the USAID funded Power Africa East Africa Energy Program. The purpose of the Project is to identify the potential for a full suite of priority energy resources in Rwanda to meet growing national and local energy needs while also addressing other priorities, such as environmental impacts and investment, and to provide a training curriculum with analysis tools to support continuous future updates by REG and stakeholders.

Phase I of the project, completed in early August, consisted of a desk review of existing studies, data sets, tools, and capacities within REG and other stakeholders relevant to hydro, wind, solar, geothermal, methane, waste-to-energy, and peat resources. CCS also delivered the first two modules of a national training program, covering concepts, assessment techniques and tools. The most recent weekly webinars included demonstrations and discussion of the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) tools and the Low Emissions Analysis Program (LEAP) tool for assessment of the physical resource; its technical, economic and market potential for supporting growing needs in electricity generation; and the environmental impacts of differing electricity generation resources in Rwanda.

Currently, Phase 2 of the project consists of the development of a technical approach and work plan for comprehensive energy resource assessment, including a training program module covering the assessment of priority energy resources, conversion technologies, and their application to the Rwandan electricity system. In Phase 3, CCS will collaborate with REG and stakeholders to conduct an updated national resource assessment and deliver the training modules for each of the resource and technology areas.