1– Introduction:
The following report results from the B2B / Match-Making Event that was held in Tripoli, North on January 25th, 2016, as part of SHAAMS project.
According to the Application Form, the objective of these Match-Making event is “…will be organised in order to bring together companies, technology centres, research and development institutes, research laboratories, universities and private researchers offering innovative technologies and know-how, looking for technological solutions or searching for partners for the European R&D projects. Match-Making events will also include financing and funding agencies and actors (i.e. VCs, banks etc) while emphasis will be given to Diaspora Communities as they play a crucial role for MPC countries (Synergies with Euromed – Innovative Entrepreneurs for Change, are foreseen).Match-Making Events will be organised in parallel with other project events in order to create synergies and minimise costs”
More specifically, this Match-Making Event has focused in matching RE & EE SMEs, financing and funding agencies, and academic institutions. The event was held in parallel to the Training Seminar in the afternoon of October 28th.
The opening ceremony kicked off with speeches from executive team representatives from both the private and public sector, each organization allocated 15 minutes to describe what products and services they provide in the RE & EE market. The organizations include:
1. LCEC : Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation
2. Kafalat
3. BDL: Central Bank of Lebanon
4. CCIAT: Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture of Tripoli and North Lebanon
5. MEW: Ministry of Energy and Water
2- DESCRIPTION
Tittle: Matching B2B “Supporting RE & EE Initiatives in North Lebanon”
Date of the event: January, 25th, 2016
Hours: 09:30 – 13:30
Place: Bechara El-Khoury, Tripoli, North Lebanon
Venue: CCIAT Building
3- AGENDA
The agenda consisted on a small workshop with 15-20 minutes of speeches from executive team representatives from the LCEC, Kafalat and BDL, the president of the Chamber, and the Minister of Energy, followed by presentations from RE & EE projects in the North by SHAAMS and INARA, and ended with the B2B event. The Agenda was as follows:
| HOUR |
ACTIVITY |
| 09.30 – 10.00 | Registration |
| 10.00 – 11.00 | Speeches
|
| 11.00 – 11.15 | Presentations
|
| 11.20 – 13:30 | B2B Meetings |
4. Speeches
Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation:
A word from the Senior Program Engineer, Mr. Rani Al Achk
|
Lebanon has been experiencing a significant increase in RE & EE activities, mainly due to the efforts and support of the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW), the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL), and the Lebanese Energy Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC) for this sector, especially through national initiative for RE & E, the funding mechanism NEEREA.
|
The loan is eligible for new environmental friendly projects or for existing projects to enhance their conditions in order to become environmentally sound. The loan has a ceiling of 20 million USD and is offered at an interest rate of 0.6% for period that should not exceed 14 years including a grace period of 6 months to 4 years. The green loans are provided through all the Lebanese commercial banks to directly reach the end user. NEEREA also includes a grant scheme based on an agreement signed between the BDL and the European Union (EU)
Kafalat
A word from the President, Dr. Khatir
|
Kafalat Energy is the result of a partnership between the European Union and Kafalat SAL to address energy constraints faced by SMEs, while ensuring reduction of negative environmental impact. This programme will provide eligible SMEs with loan guarantees for investments in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
|
The EU support enabled the extension of resources to increase the maximum loan amount and extend the duration of the guarantee and the grace period.
|
Name of Programs |
Programme A – Energy Efficiency |
Programme B – Renewable Energy generation for internal use |
Programme C – Renewable Energy generation for sale to third parties |
|
Investment type |
To finance the adoption of or conversion to sustainable energy consumption, i.e. to optimize an energy system to consume less |
To install a renewable power generation system, and consume the produced electricity for internal use, to replace fossil fuel based electricity | To install a renewable power generation system, with the aim of selling all or part of the produced electricity to others, including the public grid |
| Maximum loan amount |
LBP 600 Millions = $400,000 |
LBP 600 Millions= $400,000 | LBP 1,320 Millions = $880,000 |
|
Loan Duration |
Up to 10 years |
Up to 15 years |
Up to 15 years |
| Guarantee | 75% | 75% |
75% |
| Grace Period | Between 6 months and 1 year | Between 6 months and 2 years |
Between 6 months and 3 years |
There is a credible and effective collaboration with CCIAT and BIAT, and has all the intention to initiate alliance with any effective institution in the RE & EE field in Tripoli and North Lebanon. Kafalat has its doors open, in an official and unofficial manner, to fascilitate the funding, financing, and implementation of environmentally friendly projects in order to encourage the use of renewable energy across the region.
Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture:
A word from the President, Mr. Toufic Dabboussi
|
With its strategic location, Lebanon has the resources, especially for solar energy generation (300 sunny days), to be able to successfully implement environmental projects that could lead to a significant reduction of costs and competitive production. BDL, MEW, Kafalat, EU and other organizations specified in the RE & EE field have been successful in providing the mechanisms necessary for RE & EE projects to be feasible with effective risk management, facilitated loans, and support of knowledge and technology. The Chamber has been and remains a supporter to the development of the public sector in North Lebanon. We hope that with the support and determination of the private sector, and regardless of the political and security instability of the region, the public sector would be able to strengthen the energy sector, and create the needed shift to renewable energy sources. |
North Lebanon is a rich region due to its strategic location, its many ports, and the high level of education and skills of the workforce. Lebanese and international investments should be made in Tripoli and North Lebanon because it is the stepping stone towards developing the national economy. The restructuring of Syria and Iraq will be made through North Lebanon, and we must be prepared to responsibilities and tasks that await us.
The aim of this event is to be able to unite all stakeholders of the RE & EE sector to build the foundation of a community that will be able to generate and use clean, sustainable, and efficient energy.
Ministry of Energy and Water
A Word from the Minister, Mr. Arthur Nazarian
This event is characterized in terms and ability to pay a real contribution to the growth of the private sector in the North, to result in the creation of new business and the development of the work processes to be able to secure job opportunities in the region, in an aim towards balanced growth and sustainable development.
It is scientific workshops, such as this one, that contributes to the increased capacity of education and investments, and works on a smooth transition from the use of conventional energy sources to renewable ones. There is no doubt that our views towards the private sector has evolved, investments in the field of renewable energy sources and installations has increased, and the support of SMEs has enhanced.
The Ministry of Energy and Water has recently published a strategy paper on electricity sector management that stated that 12 percent of Lebanon’s energy supplies will come from renewable sources by the year 2020. It is clear that in order to reach these goals, there should be transparency in private-public partnerships, in which the public sector acts as the supporting party and continuously enhancing the partnership through setting laws and regulations that protects RE related projects.
The banking sector has come a long way to prove its support to such initiatives as the ones discussed in this event, and the trust we have in this sector allows building the bridge of smooth transition to renewable energy generation.
Regarding the public attending,
- SMES with high innovative and R&I activities.
- Universities and Academic Institutions
- Stakeholders like institutions offering support to SMEs and public entities.
5. PRESENTATIONS
Strategic Hubs for the Analysis and Acceleration of the Mediterranean Solar Sector – SHAAMS
Project Coordinator
Hamza Obeid
Funding Partner: The European Union
Implementing Partners: Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Barcelona-Spain, Fundación para el desarrollo y la innovación tecnológica-Spain, Agenzia Energetica e Ambientale di Salerno-Italy, Fondation Sophia Antipolis-France, CCIABML (Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture in Beirut and Mount Lebanon), Japan University of Science and Technology-Egypt, ANEA-Italy, WWF European Policy Programme – Branch Office-Italy, Al Urdonia Lil Ebda’ Co.-Jordan, Technological education institute of Crete-Greece, Berytech Foundation and BIAT.
SHAAMS project intends to define and implement a series of actions aimed to raise public awareness on the opportunities and potentialities of solar energy efficiency solutions for the social and economic development of the region. The project’s activities also seek to encourage an informed debate on the potential and opportunities of the sector and to ensure a comprehensive approach of the sector by initiating regular participatory activities. The project addresses three pillars of the green energy sector: the policy development pillar, entrepreneurial and research engagement pillar and the social awareness pillar. BIAT is implementing the project as a local contact point for Lebanon along with 12 MED partners. BIAT is the research and enterprise work package leader in the project, and the implementing partner of the social accelerator in Lebanon. BIAT is also implementing green social awareness activities in North Lebanon.
Integration of Autonomous street lighting system in the Rural area of Halba Akkar (INARA)
Funding Partner: The European Union
Implementing Partners: Municiplaity of Halba-Akkar, Secartys-Spain and BIAT.
INARA is a project funded by the EU under the SUDEP initiative. It aims at empowering Halba Municipality to use renewable energy and improve the Quality of life of its Citizens through the installation of 300 solar street lights. BIAT’s role in this project consists of producing the design and specifications book of the technical solution to be implemented in Halba, training the municipality’s team and other stakeholders on how to maintain an SPSS database, how to install a PV system and how to upkeep these systems. Through BIAT’s database and through direct outreach, BIAT had set itself a goal of reaching out to 50 municipality, 50 SME, 200 microenterprises, 5000 stakeholders to be informed about renewable energy,50 private sector structures and civil society networks and 5 public and semipublic bodies .
Mediterranean Activities for Research and Innovation in the Energy Sector – MARE
MARE is a Euro-Med joint transnational project with focus on bridging the gap between Research and Innovation in the energy field in order to tackle the societal challenge of “secure, clean and efficient energy” and provide concrete solutions on MPC’s energy difficulties and challenges.
Research & Innovation cooperation between the EU and MPC areas is a critical factor for the development of a ‘Common Knowledge and Innovation Space’, in order to jointly tackle important global challenges. The ‘Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy’ Societal Challenge is not only an EU’s critical priority towards H2020 for making the transition to a reliable, sustainable and competitive energy system but is also essential for MPC countries due to energy challenges they face especially because of increasingly scarce resources, increasing energy needs and climate change. Current technology innovations and trends on the technology pillars of RES Microgrids, RES Desalination and Energy Efficiency in Buildings are crucial for tackling the above challenges.
6. ATTENDANTS
Organizations seeking funding support participating in the event.
| SMEs, Scientific Centers & Municipalities | |
| 1 | Acemco s.a.l |
| 2 | Salem International Group |
| 3 | Banako |
| 4 | Yellow Eco S.A.R.L |
| 5 | Zmerly & Co. |
| 6 | Lebanese Science and Technology Park (LSTP) |
| 7 | Panoramic Solar |
| 8 | ME Green Energy S.A.L |
| 9 | Eco Friendly S.A.R.L |
| 10 | Solar Net |
| 11 | Allsorts Solar S.A.R.L |
| 12 | Intercool |
| 13 | Sonaco S.A.R.L |
| 14 | Power & Green S.A.L |
| 15 | Federation of Zgharta Municipalities |
| 16 | Lebanese Engineers for Sustainable Solutions |
| 17 | Elements Sun & Wind S.A.R.L |
The following table shows the funding actors.
| FUNDING ORGANISATIONS | |
| 1 | Bank Audi |
| 2 | SGBL |
| 3 | Kafalat |
| 4 | Banque Libano-Francaise |
| 5 | Credit Libanaise |
PHOTOS OF THE EVENT
