Rome, June 8th – RES4Africa Foundation successfully concluded the RES4Africa Labs, a series of webinars aimed at addressing the challenges and opportunities associated with Africa's just and green transition. The five sessions, held between April and June 2023, brought together a diverse group of professionals and experts committed to driving renewable energy (RE) deployment in Africa, reaching more than 1000 participants.

The renewables' sector in Africa is rapidly growing, but there is still a shortage on one hand of policy decision-makers committed to a true energy transition and on the other hand of skilled professional and technical workers. To address this challenge, investment in training and education programmes for renewable energy is crucial. Capacity building can empower African countries to drive innovation, improve energy efficiency, and stimulate economic growth. Under the new RES4Africa Academy, the RES4Africa Labs have been designed to expand and enhance the Foundation's training offering, leveraging on its extensive experience in capacity building.

The content of the webinars was based on the technical modules from the RES4Africa Knowledge Platform, benefiting from the professional expertise of RES4Africa members. The five sessions covered a wide range of topics, providing attendees with valuable insights and actionable strategies. The first one provided an overview of RES4Africa's mission and presented "Connecting the Dots" publications that focus on what happened in the last decade and the way forward to achieve a sustainable and prosperous future for Africa. The second Lab focused on scaling up private sector investments in renewable energy, discussing project finance and financial instruments. The third session analysed regulatory and policy frameworks in African electricity markets, and emphasised the importance of national energy masterplans, while the fourth explored grids and storage systems development, including grid strategy and technical solutions for high renewable energy penetration. Finally, the fifth and last webinar delved into the potential of green hydrogen in Africa, discussing technologies, market certification, and a case study on green hydrogen in Morocco.

"Attracting a large number of participants, the RES4Africa Labs have witnessed the power of hands-on collaboration and learning for Africa's energy transformation", commented Roberto Vigotti, RES4Africa's Secretary General, "As the renewable energy sector continues to advance, investing in practical training and education programmes becomes essential. By capacity building, we empower African nations to lead with innovation, amplify energy efficiency, and unlock their boundless human potential."

Thanks to our speakers and trainers:

Roberto Vigotti (Secretary General at RES4Africa); Andrea Renzulli (Program Manager, Policy and Regulations at RES4Africa); Dario Impalà (Grids4Africa Area Manager at RES4Africa); Paolo Cutrone (RES4Med Programme Manager at RES4Africa); Amith Singh (Head of Energy Finance at Nedbank; Ibtissem Hammi (Regulatory Affairs Africa, Asia & Oceania at Enel Green Power); Francesca Corvaglia (Market Analyst at Enel Green Power); Luca Maci (Loan Officer at Cassa Depositi e Prestiti); Alessandra di Renzo (Energy and Climate Finance at Cassa Depositi e Prestiti); Costanza de Lucia (Regulatory Affairs Analyst – Africa, Asia and Oceania at Enel Green Power); Yohannes Hailu (Economic Affairs Officer at UNECA); Mena Testa (Head of Strategic Analysis in Global Infrastructure and Networks at Enel Grids); Silvia Corigliano (Energy consultant at CESI); Natalia Pierozzi (Carbon Reduction Excellence Technical Manager at RINA); Laura Severino (Head of Climate Neutrality & Chain of Custody Sustainability Strategic Center at RINA)

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