Energising Development (EnDev) is an Energy access partnership financed by the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Sweden, and implemented in 26 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America by the Netherlands Agency and of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

The aim is to promote sustainable access to modern energy services that meet the needs of the poor - long lasting, affordable, and appreciated by users.  The monitoring and evaluation of all activities is very strict to ensure high quality and efficiency. Since 2005, EnDev has taken a leading role at promoting access to Sustainable Energy for All, and promotes information at www.energypedia.info.

EnDev Liberia

Since 2012, GIZ/EnDev Liberia focuses on strengthening the renewable energy sector in Liberia, bringing in technical expertise for information and knowledge exchange, trainings (Installation, lamp repair, stove construction….), networking. Since 2014, EnDev is also active in Sierra Leone and with few activities in Guinea.

EnDev Liberia aims to ensure sustainable and affordable access to renewable energy all over Liberia. This is done by strengthening markets and collaborating with various partners from public and private sector as well as NGOs in four focus areas.

Quality and sustainability in solar installations

Installations of solar home systems or larger systems for public facilities or communities are a key to energy access in rural Liberia. As part of the Ebola support and in collaboration with other projects, EnDev has been involved in installing solar systems in health facilities and schools in various facilities in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Other activities to promote solar installations are establishing a repair hotline, trainings for solar technicians, pioneering solar installations for offices and gas stations, developing an app for solar system registration, monitoring and repair.

Sustainable markets for Pico PV products

Pico Photovolatic (PV) systems are solar lanterns and other small devices such as radio and phone chargers, that can provide some basic electricity in rural Liberia. In collaboration with RREA and Mercy Corps, EnDev works towards strengthening retailers and building markets for such small solar products, e.g. by getting involved in road shows and energy fairs.

The EnDev solar promotion car uses solar panels for producing popcorn, music, showing movies and informing about solar and solar products, supporting retailers in promotional activities.

Collaborating with small NGOs, EnDev empowers small businesses to start selling solar products. Also, quality tests of solar lamps and trainings for repairing the products help to keep the quality high.

Read more about EnDev activities promoting Pico PV products.

Solar dryers for cocoa farmers

Using the heating energy of the sun for drying agricultural products, such as cocoa, can increase productivity and income of farmers. GIZ/EnDev introduced a solar dryer that is easy to build and handle, supported construction of more than 270 dryers and trained over 120 farmers in maintenance.

In collaboration with others in the cocoa sector, GIZ/EnDev works towards information sharing as well as robust and efficient solar dryers. 

Read more.

Promoting improved cook stoves

Most households in Liberia use firewood or charcoal for cooking. EnDev introduced various improved cook stoves that use less fuel, produce less smoke and shorten cooking time.

The Red Fire Pot was developed for Liberia, local metal workers were trained to produce it. EnDev still supports production, marketing and sales towards establishing a market for it.

EnDev also tests and works towards improving other stoves, for instance institutional fire wood stoves that can be used for school feeding or cooking for larger groups. Read more about EnDev activities for improved cook stoves.

Renewable Energy Capacity building

A key field of activities for EnDev Liberia is to share technical expertise to build capacities for sustainable renewable energy use. The trainings and workshops are demand-driven and tailored to the needs of the target group. Examples of trainings include:

• Basic solar technology, how to repair solar lamps
• Solar installation training, combining theory and practice including installations of solar home systems (Forsera, 600WP, SMA)
• Solar home system maintenance training
• Curriculum development towards establishing the profession of solar technicians, collaborating with NGOs and vocational schools
• Advanced solar technology trainings, professional exchange including
• Trainings for trainers to build improved cook stoves
• Maintenance and repair of solar dryers

Read more about some recent trainings: improved cook stoves, SMA solar system, hands-on solar system installation training.

IT solutions for Renewable Energy sector

EnDev Mano River promotes digital information and communication technology (ICT) solutions to enhance the renewable energy sector. This includes a sophisticated app, a mapping tool and the web portal www.renewables-liberia.info. A similar website for Sierra Leone is under construction.

EnDev Liberia team and office

The GIZ/EnDev office, located at the back road, oldest Congo Town, Monrovia is fully powered by solar systems without any back-up. The office hosts an exhibition of solar product and improved cook stoves. Visitors are welcome.

From October 2010 to Octover 2014,  Winrock International received $21.9 million from USAID to implement the Liberia Energy Sector Support Program (LESSP).  The aim of this four‐year program was to increase access to affordable renewable energy services to foster economic, political and social development. Specifically, the aims were

• Improved performance of local governments, civil society and the private sector in monitoring, regulating and managing the use of renewable energy
• An increase in the percentage of households and businesses utilizing clean energy, and a corresponding increase in economic activity
• Policy changes that improve the investment climate for the energy sector

Planned and implemented activities

The final evaluation report of the proram concluded that at time of LESSP’s closure most activities were incomplete.

• Only few people at RREA had received capacity building.
• GOL officials participated in an international policy and regulation study tour
• the Energy Regulatory Board (ERB) does not legally exist in Liberia.
• Capacity building initiatives were adversely impacted by the Ebola crisis, and activities planned for 2014 were canceled.
• There was no increase in the percentage of households and business utilizing clean energy.
• No evidence that LESSP’s assistance in the policy reform arena resulted in improvements to the investment climate.

It was planned to establish four pilot projcts using renewable energies to generate power in rural areas.  Two of the original pilot projects were removed from the contract, and replaced with new projects in different locations, and with a completely different scope of work and technical specifications.

• MeinRiver, Suakoko, Bong: hydroelectric system. The project was not completed and is currently re-planned.
• Sorlumba, Lofa: palm oil powered mini-grid. The projct was not completed within the time frame, but afterwards continued and became operational in 2016. However, the communities are less willing or able to pay than anticipated.
• Kwendin: rubber wood chips powered mini-grid. The project was not completed within the time frame, but afterwards continued and became operational in December 2016. Payments for the electricity are a challenge.
• Gbarnway: solar home systems for all houses in the community. A cooperative was to collect monthly fees to ensure maintenance and repair, but money collection proves to be difficult.

Recommendations for future programs

The evaluation report of the project summarizes lessons learned to improve reaching Development objectives (DOs).

Some of their recommendations for future projects are the following:

• Take into account the limited local resources, lack of pertinent quality data and logistical challenges as well as lessons learned.

• Be flexible in the design to allow the implementing partner to achieve the objectives the best way possible by employing tools including value engineering/value analysis in the case of engineering/construction projects.
• Be focused (with attendant performance monitoring and evaluation) instead of trying to accomplish too many initiatives at the same time.
• Project objectives should be in line with national policy and development goals.
• Engage stakeholders early in the planning and development process and seek local champions to take ownership of the project to facilitate sustainability.
• Reaffirm the validity of development objectives to facilitate ownership.
• Improve stakeholder partnerships
• Make capacity building performance‐based and strengthen M&E
• of training activities
• Develop construction oversight and implementation monitoring
• Control construction costs
• Institute performance‐based contracting (PBC) with provisions for incentives.
• Evaluate and examine project fast tracking and crashing the construction schedule
• Re‐evaluate the financial analysis including identifying options through sensitivity analysis
• Provide capacity building in all facets of managing pilot mini grids
• Develop an energy knowledge database and knowledge‐sharing platform

The government, international donors and various NGOs collaborate in various larger development programs or projects that include renewable energies. To add projects please use and submit this template.

Current programs or projects

Past development programs or projects

The Light Up Liberia (LUL) Program is a European Union funded project implemented by Mercy Corps Liberia. The overall objective of the Light up Liberia program is to reduce poverty and improve stability and living conditions of the rural poor in Liberia.

The Program seeks to achieve three specific objectives (SO):

• SO1: Increased access to modern, affordable, sustainable and scalable energy services for the rural poor.
• SO2: improved access to financial services for increased access to energy, economic opportunity and poverty reduction
• SO3: improved planning and coordination within the rural energy sector and more private sector engagement in rural electrification solutions.

To achieve these objectives, the Program will work towards the following results/outputs:

• A replicable model for solar mini-grids and distributed generation is implemented in 3000 households in rural village energy hubs within Bong, Margibi, Grand Bassa, Lofa, Gbarpolu, Nimba and rural Montserrado Counties,
• Availability and access to improved lighting, charging and cooking products is increased within Bong, Margibi, Grand Bassa, Lofa, Gbarpolu, Nimba and rural Montserrado counties due to the improved market functioning and supporting services for energy market actors,
• Financial products designed to increase access to renewable energy are available to 3000 households
• Increased local capacity to engage the private sector in developing solutions for rural electrification.

In order to implement the overall objective of the Light Up Liberia Program, implementation has been divided into four major components. The four components are:

• Market Facilitation
• Renewable Energy curriculum development
• Pico-grid installation
• Financial services (access to finance)

The Light Up Liberia Program runs from April 2016 to March 31,2019.

Contact Persons are Orlando Kanswen email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Julateh k. Mulbah This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.