Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) Roundtable:
Scaling-up Mini-Grid Installations
5-6 February 2013
In preparation for the CEM4 meeting scheduled for April 17-18, 2013, in New Delhi, India, a workshop on technoeconomic energy challenges and opportunities to scale-up mini-grid installations in emerging economies was held at
Columbia University’s Earth Institute. The workshop, organized by Columbia University and the Joint Institute for
Strategic Energy Analysis, was open to officials, experts and practitioners from government agencies, international
institutions, and technical institutes (public & private) engaged in mini-grid design and deployment programs.
Workshop Objectives:
•
Conduct peer-to-peer learning and capacity building on specific min-grid topics from technical design to load
management and standards.
•
Share lessons and innovation on policies and regulatory frameworks in scaling-up mini-grid sustainable
deployment to increase access to energy.
•
Discuss the market barriers and viable business and financing models for mini-grids that provide energy access
with and without the prospect of grid-connection in the future.
Workshop Summary
The workshop discussions covered case studies, technical issues, standards, business models, financial
instruments, regulations and capacity development. Participants included representatives from the private sector,
international organizations, governments, utilities and academia. The following links provide access to the workshop
agenda, list of participants, CEM4 concept note and presentations.
Workshop Agenda
Workshop Participants
CEM4 Concept Note
Presentations
•
Kavita Ravi, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE): Public-Private Roundtable on Mini-Grids
•
Prof. Vijay Modi, Columbia University: Observation from Field Experience
•
Ranjit Deshmukh, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: Renewable Energy Mini-grids for Energy
Access; Load Management Strategies and Grid Interconnectivity
•
Dr. Peter Lilienthal, HOMER Energy LLC: Technical and Economical Models
•
Gabriel Barta, International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC): Standards for Mini-grids
•
Larisa Dobriansky, General Microgrids: Mini-grid Opportunities: Policy and Regulatory Issues
•
Richenda Van Leeuwen, United Nations Foundation (UNF): Sustainable Energy for All, Energy Access
Practitioner Network
•
Dr. Reja Amatya, Dr. Robert Stoner, MIT Energy Initiative: Business Models and Technology Options for
Minigrids
•
Christine Eibs Singer, Strategic Advisor on Energy Access: Mini-grid Financial Risks Diagram
For more information please contact the conference coordinators:
Kari Burman
U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Kari.Burman@nrel.gov
About the Clean Energy Ministerial
Morgan Bazilian
Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis
Morgan.Bazilian@jisea.org
The annual CEM meetings serve as an important platform to advance international collaboration and accelerate the
adoption of clean energy technologies worldwide. The ministerial meetings provide an opportunity for high-level
engagement with private-sector stakeholders in roundtable discussions. India will host the fourth CEM in New Delhi
on 17–18 April 2013.
About JISEA
The Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA) provides leading-edge, objective, high-impact research and
analysis to guide global energy investment and policy decisions. Focused on the nexus of energy, finance, and
society, JISEA is guiding the transformation of the global energy economy. JISEA is operated by the Alliance for
Sustainable Energy, LLC, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the
University of Colorado-Boulder, the Colorado School of Mines, the Colorado State University, the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, and Stanford University.