ROGEAP is raising awareness and training national experts in Cotonou on regional standards for off-grid solar PV products

From 19 to 21 March 2024, national experts are attending a capacity-building session on the two regional standards relating to off-grid solar products with a power rating of 350 Wp or less and their laboratory testing procedures. The workshop, which is taking place in Cotonou, is an initiative of theECOWAS, as part of the implementation of the ‘ROGEAP’ project, to enable national experts to gain a better understanding of the two regional standards relating to off-grid solar products with a power rating of 350 Wp or less and their laboratory testing procedures.
Organised by the ECOWAS through the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP), the workshop specifically aims to explore the quality assurance framework for off-grid solar products, understand the definitions relating to international quality standards and their test methods for off-grid solar systems, understand how to conduct a conformity assessment, market surveillance and the application of standards through the presentation of best practices and international case studies. Finally, this session will provide an opportunity to establish a clear strategy and roadmap to facilitate the implementation at national level of the quality and assurance framework for off-grid solar products. Opening the proceedings, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Minister for Trade, Ms TIBOUTE SAMA Emilie, welcomed the holding of this conference in Cotonou. According to her, this awareness-raising workshop and training session on regional standards aims to bring about a change in attitudes and practices in the field of off-grid solar products. “The ‘ROGEAP’ project offers a wonderful opportunity for the country’s various stakeholders to equip them with essential tools for managing the quality of off-grid solar PV products,” she stated. Representing the Secretary of State for Energy at the meeting, Mr Todéma Assan, Director-General of Energy Planning and Regulation, echoed this sentiment and highlighted the two standards in question. These are, in particular, ECOSTAND IEC TS62257-9-8: 2020, relating to renewable energy and hybrid systems intended for rural electrification, and ECOSTAND IEC TS62257-9-5:2018, setting out recommendations on renewable energy and hybrid systems for rural electrification. He went on to express his firm conviction that this workshop would be seen as an opportunity to apply these standards for the well-being of the population. Mr Amadou DIONGUE, the Resident Representative of theECOWAS, to Benin, for his part, thanked the Government of the Republic of Benin and, in particular, the Secretary of State for Energy and the Director-General of theANM, for agreeing to sponsor this first national workshop to raise awareness and build capacity amongst all stakeholders at national level regarding the two regional standards relating to off-grid solar products with a power rating of 350 Wp or less and their laboratory testing methods, as part of the implementation of the regional off-grid electricity access project (ROGEAP). He then outlined the objectives of the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project, implemented by the ECOWAS Commission for its Component 1 (Developing a regional market for off-grid solar PV) and by the West African Development Bank (BOAD) for Component 2 (access to finance). He explained that the project is funded by the World Bank, the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS) of the Government of the Netherlands, with total funding of US$338.7. To improve access to electricity, the ‘ROGEAP’ project aims, amongst other things, to identify the policy barriers affecting the growth of the off-grid solar energy market, to develop a regional quality assurance framework to facilitate the supply of off-grid solar products, and to promote quality standards in the project countries to help them develop a Quality Assurance (QA) for off-grid solar PV systems, particularly for institutional applications such as healthcare facilities, schools and public administration offices, to ensure the long-term performance of these systems.